National Quantum Initiative Reauthorization Act, Sec. 16 ("Department of Energy Quantum Information Science Research Program")

• Authority: United States Congress
• Parent authority: Federal government
• Jurisdiction: United States
• Collections: U.S. federal laws
• Most recent activity: Defunct
• Most recent activity date: 2025-01-03

Risk subdomain coverage

Minimal coverage — Brief mention but no specific mitigations, recommendations or governance measures relating to the risk subdomain are described.

• AI system security vulnerabilities
• Cyberattacks, weapon development or use
• Competitive dynamics

All other risk subdomains had no coverage in this document.

Risk Coverage Summary

This document has minimal risk domain coverage, primarily addressing competitive dynamics (6.4) through its focus on advancing U.S. quantum capabilities and commercialization. The document is focused on research, development, and funding rather than risk mitigation or governance of AI/quantum harms.

Sector coverage

Good coverage — Comprehensive governance measures or mitigations with clear procedures relating to the sector are explicitly described.

• Trade, Transportation & Utilities
• Information
• Scientific Research & Development Services
• Public Administration (excl. National Security)

Minimal coverage — Brief mention but no specific mitigations, recommendations or governance measures relating to the sector are described.

• Agriculture, Mining, Construction & Manufacturing
• Finance & Insurance
• Educational Services
• National Security

All other sectors had no coverage in this document.

Sectors Summary

The document primarily governs Scientific Research and Development Services through Department of Energy research programs. It also has significant coverage of the Information sector (quantum computing, communications, networking) and the Trade, Transportation and Utilities sector (energy sector applications, electric grid management). Multiple other sectors are mentioned as application areas but with minimal governance detail.

Legislative Status

Hard Law

Legislative Status Summary

This is a binding federal statute enacted by the United States Congress that amends the National Quantum Initiative Act. It contains mandatory language establishing legal obligations for the Department of Energy and authorizes specific appropriations.

Actors

Proposer

• Entity Types: AI_Governance_Actor
• Entities: United States Congress
• Summary: The document is a Congressional act that amends existing federal legislation. Congress is the legislative body that proposed and enacted this statute.

Target

• Entity Types: AI_Governance_Actor, AI_Developer, AI_Infrastructure_Provider
• Entities: Department of Energy; National Laboratories; institutions of higher education; industry partners; quantum technology industry
• Summary: The statute primarily targets the Department of Energy, requiring it to carry out quantum research programs. It also applies to industry partners, National Laboratories, and institutions of higher education that participate in cooperative research and receive funding.

Enforcer

• Entity Types: AI_Governance_Actor
• Entities: United States Congress; Department of Energy; Secretary of Energy
• Summary: Congress enforces through oversight and appropriations control. The Secretary of Energy has authority to implement and administer the program requirements.

Monitor

• Entity Types: AI_Governance_Actor
• Entities: United States Congress; Department of Energy
• Summary: Congress monitors implementation through mandatory reporting requirements. The Department of Energy monitors the research programs and activities it funds and coordinates.

AI Lifecycle Stages

Lifecycle stages covered by the documents, as defined in the OECD Framework for the Classification of AI Systems

• Plan and Design
• Collect and Process Data
• Build and Use Model
• Deploy
• Operate and Monitor

AI Lifecycle Summary

The document covers multiple AI lifecycle stages with emphasis on Build and Use Model (quantum computing integrated with AI/ML), Plan and Design (strategic planning requirements), and Deploy (commercialization and industry outreach). It addresses quantum information science research that integrates with AI and machine learning systems.

Technical Scope

Terms relating to technical scope that are mentioned or implicitly referenced in the document

• AI Models
• AI Systems

Technical Scope Summary

The document explicitly mentions AI systems, AI models, and machine learning in the context of quantum computing integration. It does not specifically mention frontier AI, general purpose AI, foundation models, or compute thresholds. The focus is on hybrid quantum-AI systems rather than standalone AI categories.