42 U.S.C. § 19261 — Quantum networking and communications

(a) Definitions: "Director" means the Director of the National Science Foundation. "Appropriate committees of Congress" has the meaning given in section 8801 of title 15. "Q2Work Program" means the Q2Work Program run by the Foundation. (b), (c): These subsections are marked "Omitted" in the statute — they contain no text here. (d) Quantum information science workforce evaluation and acceleration: 1. In general: Within 180 days of August 9, 2022, the Director must make an agreement with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to study and recommend improvements for the quantum information science (QIS) workforce. The study must: (A) describe the QIS workforce — what makes someone a qualified QIS worker across academia, government, and industry, and how big and diverse that workforce is now and is expected to become; (B) identify what the QIS workforce will need in the near and long term across government, academia, and industry, including which cross-disciplinary degrees or courses would help prepare students for different QIS careers, keep the U.S. competitive while protecting national security, and support new quantum applications; (C) look at the current state of QIS education and skills training at every level and find the gaps, covering: whether K-12 students can access foundational courses, age-appropriate quantum concepts, and hands-on learning; whether K-12 teachers get professional development and access to materials and lesson plans; opportunities for people to switch careers into the field through certificates and internships; and college-level curricula, lab experience across academia, government, and industry, and cross-discipline degree programs that match what employers need; and (D) recommend how to build a diverse, flexible, lasting QIS workforce that can keep up with changing needs. 2. Report: Within two years of August 9, 2022, the National Academies must send Congress and the Director a report with the study's results. (e): This subsection is marked "Omitted" in the statute. (f) Quantum Education Pilot Program: 1. In general: Within one year of August 9, 2022, the Director — building on the NSF's role in the National Q-12 Education Partnership and programs like Q2Work — must give awards to colleges, nonprofits, or teams of them to run a pilot program called the "Next Generation Quantum Leaders Pilot Program." Its goal is to teach students and teachers the basics of quantum mechanics. 2. Requirements: (A) In general: The Director must encourage award winners to work with educational service agencies, groups that support STEM teachers or school districts, and Q-12 Education Partnership partners, to get elementary, middle, and high schools and state education agencies involved. The Director must also require award winners to actually partner with such schools (or groups of them) and state education agencies to carry out the program. (B) Use of funds: The Director must give competitive, merit-based awards to: test, evaluate, share, and put into use age-appropriate quantum science curricula and materials, including folding quantum science and engineering into STEM curricula as required elsewhere in the law; support informal, hands-on ways to learn about quantum concepts; help students explore quantum careers and further study; build and run training and professional-development programs — including new kinds of before-service and on-the-job programs — for teachers in quantum science and related fields; and carry out any other activities the Director decides fit the program. (C) Distribution: As much as practical, the Director must make sure the program reaches a wide range of geographic areas and includes a diverse group of students, including students from groups historically underrepresented in STEM. 3. Consultation: The Director must run the program in consultation with the QIS Workforce Working Group (part of the NSTC's Subcommittee on Quantum Information Science) and the Advancing Informal STEM Learning Program. 4. Reporting: Within four years of August 9, 2022, the Director must send Congress a report that includes: (A) an assessment — built on feedback from a wide range of academic, K-12, and private-sector stakeholders — of how well the program scaled up effective quantum education and training; and (B) if the program worked, a plan to fold it into existing programs, including whether it makes sense to expand it to more technology areas, grade levels, or schools. 5. Authorization of appropriations: Congress may spend $8,000,000 on this program for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2026. 6. Termination: This subsection ends four years after August 9, 2022.