Quantum Computing Cyber-Security Preparedness Act

Floor Speech

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Ms. MACE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 7535, the Quantum Computing Cybersecurity Preparedness Act, a truly bipartisan piece of legislation.

I thank Congressman Ro Khanna from California for his leadership in this and Congressman Connolly and Congresswoman Maloney for working together across the aisle on an issue like this.

I could never imagine 20 years ago--or further than that, 40 years ago, 35 years ago--playing with an Apple IIe in the 1980s, and fast- forward to college as a cadet at the Citadel, learning and teaching myself how to code. We have seen leaps and bounds in technology and the advances over the last decades in technology.

We see the risks to our national security here and abroad, and we are working together in this environment today where many of us are attacked for working together but looking forward and looking to the future and protecting our country and protecting our allies.

Quantum computing is without a doubt the next frontier in technology. It will take our civilization forward by leaps and bounds. In many ways, it will turn conventional understanding of computing on its head. I am here to tell you that the quantum computing era is upon us.

Just 3 years ago, an entry level quantum computer the size of a refrigerator was proven capable of outperforming a supercomputer the size of a football field. Imagine the advances in technology in that short a period of time and how quickly we are moving forward to the future.

We are looking at a world not unlike the last few days of the Manhattan Project, knowing what is to come will alter the security of the world forever. Fortunately, as with the development of the atomic bomb, America is at the forefront of pioneering this kind of technology--no doubt by leadership from Congressman Khanna and others.

We must inevitably face the reality that one day soon this technology may, in fact, be used against us by China and others that are against us today. The most significant threat of quantum computing is its ability to break through encryption with unprecedented speed.

Currently, our sensitive data is usually encrypted and protected with a password. It might take a conventional computer years or even decades to try to break that password and eventually steal your data.

In the next few years or decades, a computer will be created which will crack the last 20 years of encryption--not in years or months, but in minutes or seconds. To prevent any illicit use of this technology, we want to ensure that we are transitioning to a post-quantum cryptography future, to ensure Federal agencies that their sensitive information remains secure from any prying eyes. And we know that in 2020 we had 11 Federal agencies that were hacked by those that aligned with China and with Russia--11 Federal agencies.

Our bill prompts the Federal Government to begin taking the necessary steps to future proof current sensitive information and its databases. It will ensure the Federal Government will study the specific risks, draft a report on strategies to address these risks, and estimate the costs associated with securing our agencies and their IT systems.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues across the aisle for their work and their leadership on this issue.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York.

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