GOP senator confirms pending White House quantum push, touts legislative alternatives

Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., endorsed an aggressive effort by U.S. policymakers to help governments and businesses adapt to a future where quantum computers can break most standard forms of encryption. She also confirmed key details of a White House initiative on quantum technology previously reported by CyberScoop, while also promoting her own legislation on quantum migration and related strategies.

Blackburn, chair of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Technology, and Data, told audiences at a Wednesday event hosted by Politico that such an effort is needed to ensure that American technology is prepared well in advance for the shift and to counter potential threats from countries like Russia, China, Iran and North Korea.

Blackburn said lawmakers are asking questions about these countries such as, “What type of development are they doing? What kind of experimentation are they doing? And what is the expectation of those applications?”

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