U.S. funds quantum research with allied nations, barring China.
S. 1397 — International Quantum Research Exchange Act · Filed by Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) · 3 cosponsors · Introduced Apr 9, 2025 · Reported out
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What it does
This bill directs the Secretary of State to create a federal program awarding matching grants to universities and nonprofits for international collaborative research in quantum computing and information science, and to fund scientist exchange programs. Funding is limited to countries that have signed quantum cooperation agreements with the U.S. or are members of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, and explicitly excludes foreign adversaries. The program is authorized at $20 million annually for fiscal year 2026 and sunsets after 10 years.
Why we flagged it
The bill's core mechanism is a federal grant program for quantum research collaboration with allied nations, structured as a strategic investment in emerging technology rather than a regulatory or appropriations measure.
What the text implies
- The restriction to Five Eyes countries and quantum-cooperation-agreement signatories may effectively concentrate research partnerships with a small set of allied nations (primarily UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand), potentially limiting scientific diversity and excluding non-aligned but capable research institutions.
- The bill's reliance on the Secretary of State (rather than NSF or DOE) as the administering agency may slow grant processing and introduce diplomatic considerations into scientific merit review, potentially affecting research priorities.
The full analysis lists 4 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
U.S. institutions of higher education; U.S. nonprofit research organizations; Quantum information science research consortia