A bipartisan commission calls for major funding and workforce investment to keep the US ahead of China in quantum computing.
The U.S.-China Economic Security Review Commission has issued a stark warning about America's quantum computing future. In its 2025 report, the bipartisan commission placed 'Quantum First 2030' among its top ten recommendations, calling for a national goal to achieve computational advantage in cryptography, drug , and material science within six years. The recommendation comes after commissioners conducted firsthand investigations of quantum labs and companies across the United States.
Commissioners Leland Miller and Mike Kuiken emphasized that quantum computing represents a critical battleground in technological competition with China. 'This is something the commission has been trying to focus on over the past several years,' Miller explained. 'Our role is a little bit different than most—we're trying to look at the horizon and see what issues aren't being focused on maybe this year or next year but need focusing on now.'
The Quantum First 2030 recommendation builds on last year's call for vertical integration in the quantum industry. It contains three core elements: dramatically increased funding for foundational science and material research, development of an enabling ecosystem including cryogenic laboratories and engineering centers, and creation of a new software industry ecosystem. 'You can't just build the hardware—you've got to build the software too,' Kuiken noted.
Commission members conducted field visits to understand the quantum landscape better. They discovered that America's strength lies in its diverse approach to quantum development. Unlike China's top-down focus on superconductivity, U.S. companies and researchers are pursuing multiple pathways including superconducting, topological, and trapped ion qubits. This 'all-of-the-above' approach could prove advantageous if different modalities excel in different applications.
The commissioners identified workforce development as a critical . Universities emphasized that quantum advancement requires not just physicists but chemists, material scientists, and engineers at all educational levels. One company plans to hire 100 people next year, with more than half not requiring physics degrees. The educational foundation must extend from graduate programs to vocational training for technicians and manufacturing specialists.
Funding trends present another concern. While Chinese quantum funding continues rising dramatically, U.S. science funding faces potential plateaus or cuts. The commissioners stressed that ecosystems 'run on money, not fairy dust' and called for strategic government investment in early-stage research. They emphasized maintaining quantum development outside political debates to ensure consistent progress.
The commission's investigation revealed that quantum metrics often mislead. Headline qubit counts can be deceptive without considering error correction and technical relevance. Understanding these nuances became crucial during lab visits where companies explained that not all qubit approaches are equal and functionality matters more than raw numbers.
Looking ahead, success indicators include increased congressional engagement with quantum issues and broader understanding of quantum's business . The commissioners hope to elevate quantum to the same level of conversation that artificial intelligence now commands, ensuring America maintains its innovation edge in this critical technological domain.