Insider Brief
- Rep. Nick Langworthy introduced the American Quantum Competitiveness Act to strengthen U.S. quantum commercialization, manufacturing and domestic supply chains.
- The bill would designate the Commerce Department as the federal lead for commercial quantum technology and require a national competitiveness strategy.
- The legislation emphasizes reducing dependence on foreign adversaries and supporting advanced manufacturing along New York’s I-90 technology corridor.
- Photo by Guohua Song on Pexels
PRESS RELEASE — Congressman Nick Langworthy today announced the introduction of the American Quantum Competitiveness Act, legislation designed to strengthen America’s position in the rapidly emerging quantum technology industry, protect critical domestic supply chains, and ensure the United States remains competitive with China and other foreign adversaries.
Quantum technology is poised to transform computing, communications, and sensing, with significant implications for both America’s economic competitiveness and national security. The legislation would establish the Department of Commerce as the federal lead for commercial quantum technology and develop a national strategy focused on manufacturing, investment, commercialization and trusted domestic supply chains.
In addition to its national and global implications, this legislation will play an important role in ensuring Western New York and the Southern Tier are at the forefront of this new frontier through its work with the I-90 tech corridor. New York’s 23 rd Congressional District is poised to bring together world-class manufacturing, advanced technology, research institutions, and a highly skilled workforce.
“America cannot afford to wait until the next generation of technology has already been developed overseas before we decide we want to compete,” said Congressman Nick Langworthy. “The American Quantum Competitiveness Act is about getting ahead of the curve, strengthening our domestic supply chains and making sure the United States leads in quantum technology rather than becoming dependent on foreign adversaries. While this bill has broad national and global implications, it’s critical to our region as well, where we have the talent, manufacturing heritage, and research capabilities to be at the forefront of this next technological revolution.”
The legislation would:
- Establish Commerce as the federal lead on commercial quantum technology, including manufacturing, deployment, investment and trusted supply chains.
- Strengthen the domestic quantum ecosystem by identifying critical components, addressing barriers to investment and reducing supply chain risks and reliance on foreign adversaries.
- Create a national quantum competitiveness strategy directing Commerce to coordinate with industry, researchers, federal agencies, states and trusted allies.
- Support commercialization and domestic manufacturing, helping move quantum technologies from research and development into real-world applications.
Quantum technology will also create opportunities well beyond companies directly developing quantum systems. A robust domestic ecosystem will require critical suppliers in semiconductors, photonics, lasers, cryogenics, and other advanced technologies, creating new opportunities for American manufacturers and workers.
Congressman Langworthy has made strengthening the I-90 corridor a priority as part of a broader effort to position Western New York and the Southern Tier as a national hub for advanced manufacturing and emerging technologies. The American Quantum Competitiveness Act builds on that foundation by helping connect federally supported research with commercialization, investment, and domestic manufacturing.
The NY SMART I-Corridor Tech Hub, co-convened by the Buffalo Niagara Partnership, OneROC, and CenterState CEO, is strongly supportive of the legislation, saying, “A strategic, increased federal focus on innovation and commercialization for emerging quantum technologies supports the NY SMART I-Corridor’s goals to help ensure our region and our country remain the global leader in this space. With our shared region’s existing assets in the semiconductor and photonics industries, this legislation will deepen existing opportunities and create new ones to develop talent, technology, and domestic supply chains,” said Regional Innovation Officer Dr. Joseph Stefko.
This legislation is also enthusiastically supported by the Quantum Industry Coalition, the leading voice of the U.S. quantum industry that includes major U.S. companies such as IBM, Microsoft and Google.
“The Quantum Industry Coalition supports the American Quantum Competitiveness Act, which will help strengthen U.S. commercial quantum policy, enhance the development of trusted, resilient quantum supply chains, and develop a national quantum competitiveness strategy. We appreciate Rep. Langworthy’s leadership in introducing this bill,” said Quantum Industry Coalition executive director Paul Stimers.
It is also supported by the state’s leading research institutions, including the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), University of Rochester, University at Albany, University at Buffalo, Syracuse University, and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), and by regional economic development organizations, including Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce.
“Technology leadership is ultimately about more than winning a race for scientific breakthroughs,” Congressman Langworthy concluded. “It is about making sure those breakthroughs become American-made products, American companies and American jobs. We are perfectly positioned to take advantage of this enormous opportunity in Western New York and the Southern Tier, and I intend to make sure our region has a seat at the table.”