Lawmaker urges U.S. to prepare for quantum computing security risks

The U.S. was sought by Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Technology, and Data Chair Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., to bolster protections against quantum computing threats and improve technology to counter intrusions from Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran, according to CyberScoop.

While praising Michael Kratsios, head of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and David Sacks, who oversees cryptography and AI at the White House, Blackburn also confirmed aspects of a forthcoming White House initiative on quantum computing at a Politico event.

Blackburn did not offer a timeline for when the administration would formally launch its program but emphasized her own legislative push, including the National Quantum Cybersecurity Migration Strategy Act, co-sponsored with Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich.

The bill would require federal agencies to migrate at least one critical system to quantum-resistant encryption by Jan. 1, 2027. Blackburn also promoted her broader slate of quantum-related bills, such as directing the Department of Defense to develop a strategic roadmap, creating a National Institute of Standards and Technology sandbox for experimentation, and establishing a federal institute for quantum manufacturing.