International Quantum Research Exchange Act

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Bill ID: 119/s/1397
Last Updated: October 8, 2025

Sponsored by

Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH]

ID: S001181

Follow the money

The bill

International Quantum Research Exchange Act

S. 1397, 119th Congress — read as touching AI & Cloud Infrastructure.

The sponsor

Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH]

Every bill has someone who introduced it. That name is where the paper trail starts.

The money

$72,850 raised

21 itemised contributions to this sponsor, pulled from FEC filings.

The alignment

85% match to Project 2025

This bill's text tracks the "Department of Energy and Related Commissions" section, p. 425-427 of the Mandate for Leadership.

Bill's Journey to Becoming a Law

Track this bill's progress through the legislative process

Latest Action

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 92.

June 17, 2025

Introduced

📍 Current Status

Next: The bill will be reviewed by relevant committees who will debate, amend, and vote on it.

🏛️

Committee Review

🗳️

Floor Action

✅

Passed Senate

🏛️

House Review

🎉

Passed Congress

🖊️

Presidential Action

⚖️

Became Law

📚 How does a bill become a law?

1. Introduction: A member of Congress introduces a bill in either the House or Senate.

2. Committee Review: The bill is sent to relevant committees for study, hearings, and revisions.

3. Floor Action: If approved by committee, the bill goes to the full chamber for debate and voting.

4. Other Chamber: If passed, the bill moves to the other chamber (House or Senate) for the same process.

5. Conference: If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee reconciles the differences.

6. Presidential Action: The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action.

7. Became Law: If signed (or if Congress overrides a veto), the bill becomes law!

Bill Summary

Another bill, another exercise in bureaucratic doublespeak and pork-barrel politics. Let's dissect this mess.

**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The International Quantum Research Exchange Act (S 1397) claims to enhance international cooperation in quantum information science by establishing a program within the Department of State. The stated goal is to promote collaborative research, scientist exchange programs, and strategic alignment with national interests. Yeah, right. I've seen more convincing diagnoses on a patient's chart.

**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill creates a new program, which will be coordinated with various government agencies, industry leaders, and academia. It authorizes $20 million in appropriations for fiscal year 2026 and sets up a reporting mechanism to ensure "transparency" (read: bureaucratic CYA). The program will only fund collaborative research with countries that have signed quantum cooperation statements with the United States – because we all know how well those agreements work out.

**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** The usual suspects are involved:

* Institutions of higher education and eligible nonprofit organizations, which will receive matching grants for international collaborative research. * The Department of State, which will administer the program and coordinate with other agencies. * Industry leaders, who will provide "expertise" (read: lobbying influence). * Academia, which will supply the brainpower (or at least, that's the theory).

**Potential Impact & Implications:** This bill is a classic case of " Quantum Fluffernutter Syndrome" – a disease characterized by an excessive use of buzzwords ("quantum," "international cooperation," and "strategic alignment") to justify a program that will likely achieve little more than lining the pockets of favored stakeholders.

The real impact will be:

* A modest increase in funding for research grants, which will be gobbled up by administrative costs and bureaucratic overhead. * A further entrenchment of the revolving door between government, industry, and academia, ensuring that the same incestuous network of "experts" continues to shape policy. * A token gesture towards "international cooperation," which will be used as a fig leaf to justify future collaborations with questionable partners.

In short, this bill is a textbook example of legislative theater – all sound and fury, signifying nothing. But hey, at least it'll create some nice jobs for the usual suspects in the Beltway bubble.

Related Topics

Foreign Aid & DiplomacyResearch & Innovation Policy
Generated using Llama 3.1 70B (Dr. Haus personality)

💰 Campaign Finance Network

Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH]

Congress 119 • 2024 Election Cycle

Total Contributions
$72,850
13 donors
PACs
$0
Organizations
$250
Committees
$0
Individuals
$72,600

No PAC contributions found

1
TILT LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE LLC
1 transaction
$250

No committee contributions found

1
HAWASH, NOUR
4 transactions
$19,800
2
HAWASH, SAFA
2 transactions
$6,600
3
KANDIL, MARIAM
2 transactions
$6,600
4
SHAH, JAWAD
2 transactions
$6,600
5
SIMMONS, IAN
2 transactions
$6,600
6
SOLTAN, BOSHRA
2 transactions
$6,600
7
JONDY, JENAN
1 transaction
$3,300
8
KANDIL, OSAMA
1 transaction
$3,300
9
WU, ALBERT
1 transaction
$3,300
10
MORIN, THOMAS
1 transaction
$3,300
11
CROWLEY, MATTHEW
1 transaction
$3,300
12
HUNT, SWANEE
1 transaction
$3,300

Cosponsors & Their Campaign Finance

This bill has 3 cosponsors. Below are their top campaign contributors.

Sen. Young, Todd [R-IN]

ID: Y000064

Top Contributors

10

1
HESS, DANIEL L.
CORNERSTONE INDUSTRIES CORP. • PRESIDENT/ OWNER
IndividualZIONSVILLE, IN
$10,000
Jul 1, 2024
2
SHUBLAK, MARK I.
ICE MILLER LLP • ATTORNEY
IndividualINDIANAPOLIS, IN
$6,600
Oct 20, 2023
3
MCLEAN, SUZZY
SAGESURE • INSURANCE
IndividualLOS ALTOS, CA
$6,600
Oct 23, 2024
4
MCLEAN, TERRENCE
SAGESURE • INSURANCE
IndividualLOS ALTOS, CA
$6,600
Oct 23, 2024
5
BESSENT, SCOTT K.
KEY SQUARE GROUP • INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT
IndividualCHARLESTON, SC
$6,600
Mar 28, 2024
6
PATRICELLI, ROBERT E.
RETIRED • RETIRED
IndividualSIMSBURY, CT
$6,600
Mar 1, 2024
7
ANDREESSEN, MARC L.
ANDREESSEN HOROWITZ • CO-FOUNDER
IndividualLOS ALTOS, CA
$6,600
Sep 30, 2024
8
BRALY, DOUGLAS A. MR.
SELF EMPLOYED • ACCOUNTANT
IndividualINDIANAPOLIS, IN
$6,600
Sep 4, 2024
9
DIXON, CHRISTOPHER
ANDREESSEN HOROWITZ • GENERAL PARTNER
IndividualPALO ALTO, CA
$6,600
Sep 30, 2024
10
HESS, LEANNA
RETIRED • RETIRED
IndividualZIONSVILLE, IN
$6,600
Aug 19, 2024

Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE]

ID: C001088

Top Contributors

10

1
CHEROKEE NATION
OrganizationTAHLEQUAH, OK
$3,300
Dec 27, 2023
2
CHEROKEE NATION
OrganizationTAHLEQUAH, OK
$1,700
Dec 27, 2023
3
CHEN, YU
NOT EMPLOYED • NOT EMPLOYED
IndividualMIAMI, FL
$3,300
Dec 17, 2024
4
MIRZAIE, REZA
RUSS AUGUST & KABAT LLP • ATTORNEY
IndividualPACIFIC PALISADES, CA
$3,300
Oct 7, 2024
5
CHEN, YU
NOT EMPLOYED • NOT EMPLOYED
IndividualMIAMI, FL
$3,300
Dec 17, 2024
6
WASSERMAN, CASEY
WASSERMAN • CEO
IndividualLOS ANGELES, CA
$3,300
Nov 5, 2024
7
ZHAO, PENG
CITADEL SECURITIES • CEO
IndividualMIAMI, FL
$3,300
Dec 17, 2024
8
WASSERMAN, CASEY
WASSERMAN • CEO
IndividualLOS ANGELES, CA
$3,300
Nov 5, 2024
9
ZHAO, PENG
CITADEL SECURITIES • CEO
IndividualMIAMI, FL
$3,300
Dec 17, 2024
10
MIRZAIE, REZA
RUSS AUGUST & KABAT LLP • ATTORNEY
IndividualPACIFIC PALISADES, CA
$3,300
Oct 7, 2024

Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN]

ID: K000367

Top Contributors

10

1
LEECH LAKE BAND OF OJIBWE
OrganizationCASS LAKE, MN
$3,300
Nov 5, 2024
2
SHAKOPEE MDEWAKANTON SIOUX COMMUNITY
OrganizationPRIOR LAKE, MN
$3,300
Aug 25, 2023
3
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
OrganizationDURANT, OK
$2,500
Oct 7, 2024
4
SHAKOPEE MDEWAKANTON SIOUX COMMUNITY
OrganizationPRIOR LAKE, MN
$2,300
Jul 17, 2023
5
ARISTOTLE INTERNATIONAL
CONDUIT TOTAL LISTED IN AGG. FIELD
OrganizationWASHINGTON, DC
$500
Jul 19, 2024
6
SMITH, BRADFORD
MICROSOFT CORPORATION • ATTORNEY
IndividualBELLEVUE, WA
$6,600
Mar 30, 2023
7
SMITH, BRADFORD
IndividualBELLEVUE, WA
$6,600
Mar 30, 2023
8
BADEN, DREW
PROFESSOR • UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND
IndividualBETHESDA, MD
$6,600
Feb 23, 2024
9
CAUCHY, CONSTANCE
NOT EMPLOYED • NOT EMPLOYED
IndividualMIDLAND, MI
$6,600
Jun 2, 2024
10
BADEN, DREW
IndividualBETHESDA, MD
$6,600
Mar 11, 2024

Donor Network - Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH]

PACs
Organizations
Individuals
Politicians

Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.

Loading...

Showing 39 nodes and 30 connections (45 secondary connections hidden)

Total contributions: $113,450

Top Donors - Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH]

Showing top 13 donors by contribution amount

1 Org12 Individuals

Industry Impact

Which industries are materially affected by specific provisions in this bill. 2 helped.

  • Section 3(a)(1) provides matching grants for international collaborative research in quantum information science, which benefits AI & cloud infrastructure providers engaged in quantum research.

  • Section 3(a)(1) funds competitive grants for institutions and nonprofits engaged in international collaborative research in quantum information science, which includes semiconductor and hardware firms working on quantum technologies.

Who funds the sponsor on these industries

For each industry this bill affects, here's what the sponsor (Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH])received from donors associated with that industry during the 2022–present cycles. Donations are not proof of intent — they are a record of who funds the people writing the law.

Industries this bill HELPS

Project 2025 Policy Matches

This bill shows semantic similarity to the following sections of the Project 2025 policy document.AI-enhanced analysis provides detailed alignment ratings.

Department of Energy and Related Commissions

Strong
Vector: 65%
Pages: 425-427AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"The bill aligns strongly with Project 2025's emphasis on advancing U.S. scientific dominance in quantum information science, protecting taxpayer-funded R&D, and ensuring economic and national security benefits flow to American interests through coordinated federal efforts and private-sector engagement."

Key themes:quantum information scienceU.S. scientific dominanceresearch securitytechnology transfer to private sectorfederal coordination

— 393 — Department of Energy and Related Commissions l Ensure that R&D funds are used for projects that protect and advance that edge. l Ensure that successful advances, with a focus on new natural resource development technologies, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and space, are transferred swiftly to American interests in the private sector. New Policies l Focus on benefits to Americans. OTT’s operations should be based on the recognition that the new technologies generated by American taxpayers’ investment in DOE are a significant national security asset rather than some neutral scientific gift to humanity. l Increase oversight and coordination. OTT needs to be vigilant in overseeing and coordinating OTT offices associated with each National Lab. For security and economic espionage reasons, the work funded by the American people needs to be protected, and when commercialized, it needs to go to American businesses. OFFICE OF SCIENCE (SC) Mission/Overview The Office of Science (SC) supports and oversees research facilities and pro- grams that cover basic science through its application to the demonstration and deployment of energy technologies. SC oversees 10 of the 17 DOE National Labs and 28 major federal research user facilities. Its mission is to preserve U.S. leader- ship in science, fund and perform basic research, and provide the scientific facilities that the private sector is unable or unwilling to provide. New initiatives include quantum information sciences and artificial intelligence. SC is led by a Senate-con- firmed Director at the Assistant Secretary level and has eight program offices.82 Needed Reforms The next conservative President should commit the United States to scientific dominance to support national and economic security, especially in light of similar efforts by China. To aid in this effort, the Office of Science should: l Return to its primary mission: nonpartisan and basic science. SC’s mission should be international leadership in basic and early applied science and provision of world-leading facilities for this work. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and Inflation Reduction Act mark the major — 394 — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise reorientation of DOE primarily from defense applications in the NNSA and basic and early applied science across SC and the applied offices to a massive federal research, development, demonstration, and commercialization body.83 Distraction from SC’s basic science mission should be prevented. l Increase the level of accountability. The National Laboratories need to be more directly accountable to the Secretary of Energy and Congress for their work and management. New Policies l Commit to U.S. science dominance. The United States is losing its dominance in scientific discoveries and technological development. China and other adversaries have been stealing American science and technology for years and are now on the verge of dominating science—a development that is fraught with negative strategic and economic implications for the United States. The next Administration must commit itself to ensuring that the U.S. continues to dominate scientific discovery and technological advancement. l Refocus on mission and eliminate duplication and waste. The Administration should work with Congress to rationalize the National Lab network to meet specific national objectives (such as the NNSA laboratories’ role in national defense) and conduct basic research that the private sector would not otherwise conduct. Activities that duplicate those of other government agencies or the private sector should be eliminated. l Properly manage the National Labs’ contributions to the private sector. SC should improve private-sector access to the National Labs, through programs like the GAIN voucher program and consistent with national security considerations, while ensuring that the economic benefits of taxpayer-funded technologies flow back to taxpayers through patent- review sharing or a revolving fund. Budget The Office of Science was appropriated slightly more than $7 billion in FY 2021, and DOE requested slightly less than $7.8 billion for FY 2023.84 OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT (EM) Mission/Overview The Office of Environmental Management’s mission is to “complete the safe cleanup of [the] environmental legacy resulting from decades of nuclear

Department of Energy and Related Commissions

Strong
Vector: 62%
Pages: 425-427AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"The bill aligns strongly with Project 2025's emphasis on advancing quantum information science as a national security and technological priority, particularly through protecting U.S. research leadership and ensuring benefits accrue to American interests. Both focus on securing technological edge against foreign threats, especially China, and promoting coordinated federal efforts to advance strategic science."

Key themes:quantum information sciencenational securitytechnological competitivenessresearch securityfederal coordination

— 392 — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise Needed Reforms l Help to develop policy. Because the appointees running DOE’s various program offices are properly focused on managing their programs, not enough thought is given to identifying future challenges and developing potential solutions to benefit the American people. l Help to ensure that policies are properly implemented. Policy initiatives from the Secretary are often understood or implemented inconsistently by program offices. OP can help the Secretary to ensure that important policy initiatives are implemented, particularly when they involve multiple program offices. New Policies l Develop a National Energy Security Strategy. OP could be tasked with developing a National Energy Security Strategy for the Secretary. This strategy could be prepared in conjunction with the White House National Security Strategy and the DOD National Defense Strategy to convey these priorities to Congress and design policy initiatives for their implementation. Such a strategy could summarize cyber and physical threats to energy infrastructure, challenges involved in obtaining rare earth minerals to support domestic energy production and consumption, and foreign actions that threaten U.S. energy security and dominance. However, it would be important to guard against attempts to transform the strategy into a government-led industrial policy or, in a progressive Administration, an economy-wide climate policy. OFFICE OF TECHNOLOGY TRANSITIONS (OTT) Mission/Overview The Secretary of Energy authorized the creation of this office in 2015. Its mis- sion “is to expand the public impact of the department’s research, development, demonstration, and deployment (RDD&D) portfolio to advance the economic, energy and national security interests of the nation.” OTT serves as “the front door to U.S. Department of Energy’s…products, facilities and expertise” and “integrates ‘market pull’ into its planning to ensure the greatest return on investment from DOE’s RDD&D activities to the taxpayer.”81 Needed Reforms OTT should ensure that the best emerging technologies from DOE and the National Labs are properly supported and protected. Because America’s techno- logical edge is a key national security asset, and in view of China’s predatory thefts of intellectual property, OTT should: — 393 — Department of Energy and Related Commissions l Ensure that R&D funds are used for projects that protect and advance that edge. l Ensure that successful advances, with a focus on new natural resource development technologies, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and space, are transferred swiftly to American interests in the private sector. New Policies l Focus on benefits to Americans. OTT’s operations should be based on the recognition that the new technologies generated by American taxpayers’ investment in DOE are a significant national security asset rather than some neutral scientific gift to humanity. l Increase oversight and coordination. OTT needs to be vigilant in overseeing and coordinating OTT offices associated with each National Lab. For security and economic espionage reasons, the work funded by the American people needs to be protected, and when commercialized, it needs to go to American businesses. OFFICE OF SCIENCE (SC) Mission/Overview The Office of Science (SC) supports and oversees research facilities and pro- grams that cover basic science through its application to the demonstration and deployment of energy technologies. SC oversees 10 of the 17 DOE National Labs and 28 major federal research user facilities. Its mission is to preserve U.S. leader- ship in science, fund and perform basic research, and provide the scientific facilities that the private sector is unable or unwilling to provide. New initiatives include quantum information sciences and artificial intelligence. SC is led by a Senate-con- firmed Director at the Assistant Secretary level and has eight program offices.82 Needed Reforms The next conservative President should commit the United States to scientific dominance to support national and economic security, especially in light of similar efforts by China. To aid in this effort, the Office of Science should: l Return to its primary mission: nonpartisan and basic science. SC’s mission should be international leadership in basic and early applied science and provision of world-leading facilities for this work. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and Inflation Reduction Act mark the major

Department of Energy and Related Commissions

Moderate
Vector: 66%
Pages: 398-400AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"The bill supports advanced scientific research in quantum information science, aligning with Project 2025's emphasis on American science dominance and refocusing federal science efforts on strategic, defense-related innovation. However, it does not directly address energy policy, fossil fuels, or regulatory reforms central to the cited Project 2025 section."

Key themes:scientific innovationnational securityresearch securityadvanced sciencetechnology competitiveness

— 365 — Department of Energy and Related Commissions l Support repeal of massive spending bills like the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA)3 and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA),4 which established new programs and are providing hundreds of billions of dollars in subsidies to renewable energy developers, their investors, and special interests, and support the rescinding of all funds not already spent by these programs. l Unleash private-sector energy innovation by ending government interference in energy decisions. l Stop the war on oil and natural gas. l Allow individuals, families, and business to use the energy resources they want to use and that will best serve their needs. l Secure and protect energy infrastructure from cyber and physical attacks. l Refocus the Department of Energy on energy security, accelerated remediation, and advanced science. l Promote U.S. energy resources as a means to assist our allies and diminish our strategic adversaries. l Refocus FERC on ensuring that customers have affordable and reliable electricity, natural gas, and oil and no longer allow it to favor special interests and progressive causes. l Ensure that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission facilitates rather than hampers private-sector nuclear energy innovation and deployment. American Science Dominance. Ever since the age of Benjamin Franklin, the United States has been at the forefront of scientific discovery and technological advancement. Beginning with the groundbreaking science of the Manhattan Proj- ect, the U.S. has developed 17 National Laboratories that conduct fundamental and advanced scientific research. The National Labs have been critical in supporting national defense and ensuring that the United States leads on scientific discoveries with transformative applications that benefit America and the world. In recent years, however, U.S. science has been under threat. Externally, adversaries like the Chinese military have been engaged in scientific espionage, infiltrating taxpayer-funded scientific research projects, and funding their own science research. In addition, the National Labs have been too focused on climate change and renewable technologies.

Showing 3 of 5 policy matches

About These Correlations

Policy matches are calculated using a hybrid approach: initial candidates are found using semantic similarity between bill summaries and Project 2025 policy text, then an AI model (Llama 3.1 70B) provides detailed alignment ratings and analysis. Ratings range from 1 (minimal alignment) to 5 (very strong alignment). This analysis does not imply direct causation or intent.

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