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Quantum Computing Cybersecurity Preparedness Act

Public Law 117-260 · H.R. 7535 · 117th Congress · began in the House

Signed by Joe Biden (D) on Dec 21, 2022 · Government Operations and Politics

Sponsor: Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA-17)

Cosponsors (4): Rep. Nancy Mace,

Passage votesYeaNay

  • HouseRecorded vote: 420 yea, 3 nay420–3
  • SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

This act addresses the migration of executive agencies' information technology systems to post-quantum cryptography. Post-quantum cryptography is encryption strong enough to resist attacks from quantum computers developed in the future. The act does not apply to national security systems.

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) shall issue guidance on the migration of information technology to post-quantum cryptography.

Each executive agency must maintain an inventory of all information technology in use by the executive agency that is vulnerable to decryption by quantum computers.

After the National Institutes of Standards and Technology (NIST) has issued post-quantum cryptography standards, the OMB shall issue guidance requiring each executive agency to develop a plan to migrate information technology of the agency to post-quantum cryptography.

OMB shall submit to Congress a report on

• a strategy to address the risk posed by the vulnerabilities of information technology of executive agencies to weakened encryption due to the potential and possible capability of a quantum computer to breach such encryption;

• the funding needed by executive agencies to secure such information technology from the risk posed by an adversary of the United States using a quantum computer to breach the encryption; and

• a description of federal civilian executive branch coordination efforts led by NIST, including timelines, to develop standards for post-quantum cryptography.

Who voted for it

Every House member of the 117th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 420 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.

420 yea3 nay7 present or did not vote

ProEstablishmentAnti
Economic left–right
More liberalMore conservative

Democrats who voted yea(216)

Republicans who voted yea(204)

Data notes

The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 966 in Voteview), matched to the vote the record cites and checked against its totals. Positions are each member’s DW-NOMINATE score for that Congress, as on the Ideology page; left to right is more liberal to more conservative. Paired and announced yea votes count as yea. Lists follow the compass, most liberal first. A name links to a profile only for members of the current Congress. A law passed by voice vote or unanimous consent has no member list, and neither does a vote Voteview has not yet recorded.

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Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Data notes

A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.

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Related bills

1 bill the Library of Congress relates to this one.

  • S. 4592Related bill

    Quantum Computing Cybersecurity Preparedness Act

Data notes

Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 23 actions.

  1. Dec 21, 2022Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 117-260.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Dec 16, 2022FloorFloor · Presented to President.
  4. Dec 13, 2022Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  5. Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 420 - 3 (Roll no. 519).House roll call 519
  6. OtherOther · Resolving differences -- House actions: On motion that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 420 - 3 (Roll no. 519).House roll call 519
  7. Dec 12, 2022Resolving differencesResolving differences · Ms. Norton moved that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment.
  8. FloorFloor · At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
  9. FloorFloor · The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on the motion to suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment to H.R. 7535.
  10. Dec 9, 2022FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
  11. Dec 8, 2022FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
  12. FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
  13. CommitteeCommittee · Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent.
  14. Jul 13, 2022CommitteeCommittee · Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
  15. Jul 12, 2022FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  16. FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
  17. FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 7535.
  18. FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
  19. FloorFloor · Mrs. Maloney, Carolyn B. moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
  20. May 11, 2022CommitteeCommittee · Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 38 - 0.
  21. CommitteeCommittee · Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
  22. Apr 18, 2022CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform.
  23. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in House
Data notes

Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.

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Amendments

1 amendment offered to the bill, with the last recorded step of each.

  • S.Amdt. 6510SenateSen. Maggie HassanD-NH· offered Dec 8, 2022Agreed to

    In the nature of a substitute.

    Dec 8, 2022: Amendment SA 6510 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

    Agreed to
Data notes

Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.

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Official record

The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.