Insider Brief
- Rep. Nancy Mace will propose to establish a Quantum Computing Center of Excellence for the Army.
- Mace is proposing an amendment to the defense appropriations bill seeks that would boost the Army’s research, development, test, and evaluation (RDT&E) account by $20 million.
- The funding increase is specifically intended to create a new Department of Defense Quantum Computing Center of Excellence.
When the congressional session resumes, Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) will propose a significant investment in quantum computing for the U.S. military, according to DefenseScoop.
According to a senior official on Mace’s team, the proposal aims to allocate millions to establish a Quantum Computing Center of Excellence for the Army, the defense news site reported.
Quantum computing, an emerging technology, which is backing a growing industry, the principles of physics and phenomena at atomic and subatomic levels to process information in ways traditional computers cannot. U.S. national security agencies, with congressional backing, have increasingly focused on quantum technologies, recognizing their transformative potential. The transformative potential is specifically tied to several defense use cases, such as navigation that does not require satellite guidance and the potential for highly secure message transfer.
Mace’s amendment to the Defense Department’s fiscal 2025 appropriations bill seeks to boost the Army’s research, development, test, and evaluation (RDT&E) account by $20 million. This funding increase is specifically intended to create a new Department of Defense Quantum Computing Center of Excellence.
The proposal outlines that the investment would be “offset by a decrease to Defense-Wide Operations and Maintenance,” a Mace official confirmed to DefenseScoop. This strategic reallocation underscores the growing priority of quantum technology within the U.S. defense apparatus.
In May, DefenseScoop highlighted a similar initiative by the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Cyber Innovative Technologies, and Information Systems (CITI). The subcommittee’s provision in the fiscal 2025 Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) called for a dedicated military quantum Center of Excellence.
Such centers, often embedded within federal agencies, are designed to drive innovation and modernization in specific technological domains. The CITI proposal suggested establishing the center at a “research laboratory of a covered Armed Force with requisite experience in quantum computing integrated photonics and photon qubits, superconducting and hybrid systems, and trapped ions,” as reported by DefenseScoop.
This provision made it into the House’s version of the NDAA for fiscal 2025, reports DefenseScoop. However, the Senate has yet to pass its version, and both will need reconciliation before becoming law.
Mace’s amendment to the appropriations bill could further accelerate the creation of the quantum COE, particularly involving the Army. “By increasing funding for the Army RDT&E account to create a Department of Defense Quantum Computing Center of Excellence, we are committing to a future where America leads in quantum innovation. This strategic investment will give our military a decisive technological advantage, fortifying our national security against emerging global threats and keeping us ahead in the race against adversaries like China,” an official from Mace’s team told DefenseScoop.
