Floor SpeechNeutral2026-06-17

Text of Senate Amendment 5848

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Context

On 2026-06-17, Senator Andy Kim (D-NJ) delivered a floor speech titled "Text Of Senate Amendment 5848" in the Senate.

Full Text

Text of Senate Amendment 5848

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 102 (Wednesday, June 17, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 102 (Wednesday, June 17, 2026)] [Senate] [Page S2907] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] SA 5848. Mr. KIM submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4784, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows: At the appropriate place, insert the following: SEC. ___. UNIVERSITY AFFILIATED RESEARCH CENTER QUANTUM INFORMATION SCIENCE RESEARCH. (a) Feasibility and Advisability Assessment.--The Secretary of Defense shall, in consultation with the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering-- (1) assess the feasibility and advisability of expanding the scope, capacity, or capabilities of an existing university affiliated research center that operates at the Office of the Secretary of Defense level to support quantum science, engineering, and national security applications; and (2) submit a recommendation regarding the feasibility and advisability of such expansion to the congressional defense committees. (b) Determination.--Not later than 15 days after submitting the assessment required under subsection (a), the Secretary shall determine whether it is feasible and advisable to expand such a university affiliated research center and-- (1) for a positive determination, submit to the congressional defense committees a plan described in subsection (c); and (2) for a negative determination, submit to the congressional defense committees a justification for such determination that includes the data and analysis supporting such determination. (c) Plan.--If the Secretary of Defense determines that expanding a university affiliated research center is feasible and advisable under subsection (b), the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees a plan for such expansion, including an assessment of the institutional capacity of the covered educational institution at which such university affiliated research center is operated. (d) Elements.--The plan described in subsection (c) shall include the following: (1) An assessment of the existing capabilities of the university affiliated research center and associated research programs at the host institution in quantum science, systems integration, quantum engineering, and related fields. (2) An assessment of the ability of the university affiliated research center-- (A) to conduct basic and applied research in quantum technologies relevant to national defense; (B) to integrate quantum technologies across multiple military departments and defense agencies; and (C) to support the mission of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering in advancing cross- cutting technologies. (3) An assessment of the activities and investments necessary-- (A) to augment facilities, laboratories, or secure research environments-- (i) to support research, development, test, and evaluation activities relating to quantum technologies; (ii) to access, secure, and conduct research involving sensitive or classified information; and (iii) to respond rapidly to emerging Department-wide requirements in quantum-enabled capabilities; (B) expand the participation of the university affiliated research center and affiliated research centers and laboratories at the host institution supporting the university affiliated research center mission in Department of Defense research, engineering, and workforce development activities relating to quantum technologies; and (C) to improve the ability of the university affiliated research center to support the transition of quantum technologies into operational use. (4) Recommendations identifying actions that may be taken by the Secretary, the Under Secretary, Congress, and other stakeholders to strengthen the role of such university affiliated research center in advancing quantum technologies for national security purposes. (5) Any specific goals, incentives, and metrics developed by the Secretary to increase and measure the capacity of such university affiliated research center to support Department- wide quantum capabilities. (e) Report Required.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall-- (1) submit to the congressional defense committees a report that includes the plan developed under subsection (c); and (2) make the plan available on a publicly accessible website of the Department of Defense. (f) Support for Expansion.-- (1) In general.--The Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering may establish a program to provide contracts, grants, or other agreements to support the expansion of the university affiliated research center described in subsection (a), including through collaborative research activities with affiliated research centers and laboratories at the host institution. (2) Purposes.--The purposes described in this paragraph are the following: (A) Enhancing workforce and research infrastructure capabilities in quantum science and engineering. (B) Expanding the ability of the university affiliated research center to recruit and retain faculty and technical experts in quantum-related fields. (C) Supporting collaboration with Federal laboratories, Federally funded research and development centers, and private sector entities. (D) Accelerating the development, testing, and transition of quantum technologies for Department-wide applications. (E) Any other purposes the Under Secretary determines appropriate for strengthening quantum capabilities. (g) Definitions.--In this section: (1) The term ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given such term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001). (2) The term ``quantum technologies'' includes quantum computing, quantum sensing, quantum networking, quantum communications, and quantum materials. (3) The term ``University Affiliated Research Center operating at the Office of the Secretary of Defense level'' means a university affiliated research center that supports research, engineering, and analytical activities that address cross-cutting priorities of the Department of Defense and are not limited to a single military department. ______

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Text of Senate Amendment 5848 Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 102 (Wednesday, June 17, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 102 (Wednesday, June 17, 2026)] [Senate] [Page S2907] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] SA 5848. Mr. KIM submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4784, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows: At the appropriate place, insert the following: SEC. ___. UNIVERSITY AFFILIATED RESEARCH CENTER QUANTUM INFORMATION SCIENCE RESEARCH. (a) Feasibility and Advisability Assessment.--The Secretary of Defense shall, in consultation with the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering-- (1) assess the feasibility and advisability of expanding the scope, capacity, or capabilities of an existing university affiliated research center that operates at the Office of the Secretary of Defense level to support quantum science, engineering, and national security applications; and (2) submit a recommendation regarding the feasibility and advisability of such expansion to the congressional defense committees. (b) Determination.--Not later than 15 days after submitting the assessment required under subsection (a), the Secretary shall determine whether it is feasible and advisable to expand such a university affiliated research center and-- (1) for a positive determination, submit to the congressional defense committees a plan described in subsection (c); and (2) for a negative determination, submit to the congressional defense committees a justification for such determination that includes the data and analysis supporting such determination. (c) Plan.--If the Secretary of Defense determines that expanding a university affiliated research center is feasible and advisable under subsection (b), the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees a plan for such expansion, including an assessment of the institutional capacity of the covered educational institution at which such university affiliated research center is operated. (d) Elements.--The plan described in subsection (c) shall include the following: (1) An assessment of the existing capabilities of the university affiliated research center and associated research programs at the host institution in quantum science, systems integration, quantum engineering, and related fields. (2) An assessment of the ability of the university affiliated research center-- (A) to conduct basic and applied research in quantum technologies relevant to national defense; (B) to integrate quantum technologies across multiple military departments and defense agencies; and (C) to support the mission of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering in advancing cross- cutting technologies. (3) An assessment of the activities and investments necessary-- (A) to augment facilities, laboratories, or secure research environments-- (i) to support research, development, test, and evaluation activities relating to quantum technologies; (ii) to access, secure, and conduct research involving sensitive or classified information; and (iii) to respond rapidly to emerging Department-wide requirements in quantum-enabled capabilities; (B) expand the participation of the university affiliated research center and affiliated research centers and laboratories at the host institution supporting the university affiliated research center mission in Department of Defense research, engineering, and workforce development activities relating to quantum technologies; and (C) to improve the ability of the university affiliated research center to support the transition of quantum technologies into operational use. (4) Recommendations identifying actions that may be taken by the Secretary, the Under Secretary, Congress, and other stakeholders to strengthen the role of such university affiliated research center in advancing quantum technologies for national security purposes. (5) Any specific goals, incentives, and metrics developed by the Secretary to increase and measure the capacity of such university affiliated research center to support Department- wide quantum capabilities. (e) Report Required.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall-- (1) submit to the congressional defense committees a report that includes the plan developed under subsection (c); and (2) make the plan available on a publicly accessible website of the Department of Defense. (f) Support for Expansion.-- (1) In general.--The Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering may establish a program to provide contracts, grants, or other agreements to support the expansion of the university affiliated research center described in subsection (a), including through collaborative research activities with affiliated research centers and laboratories at the host institution. (2) Purposes.--The purposes described in this paragraph are the following: (A) Enhancing workforce and research infrastructure capabilities in quantum science and engineering. (B) Expanding the ability of the university affiliated research center to recruit and retain faculty and technical experts in quantum-related fields. (C) Supporting collaboration with Federal laboratories, Federally funded research and development centers, and private sector entities. (D) Accelerating the development, testing, and transition of quantum technologies for Department-wide applications. (E) Any other purposes the Under Secretary determines appropriate for strengthening quantum capabilities. (g) Definitions.--In this section: (1) The term ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given such term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001). (2) The term ``quantum technologies'' includes quantum computing, quantum sensing, quantum networking, quantum communications, and quantum materials. (3) The term ``University Affiliated Research Center operating at the Office of the Secretary of Defense level'' means a university affiliated research center that supports research, engineering, and analytical activities that address cross-cutting priorities of the Department of Defense and are not limited to a single military department. ______