Democrats block data center bill in Senate, a blow to Republicans ahead of the elections

By a 57-43 vote, with only four Democrats joining Republicans, the Senate rejected the measure that had passed the House of Representatives earlier this month with broad bipartisan support. The bill would have asked state regulators to “consider” a federal standard requiring data center companies to cover their own costs on the power grid, instead of passing them on to consumers — but it did not require price cuts. Democrats said the wording was weak and lacked enforcement mechanisms.

“We need real action here on data centers, and what does the Republican senator from Ohio propose? Something that is optional,” Chuck Schumer said in the Senate on Tuesday, as CNN reports. Senator Peter Welch of Vermont called it “an 11th-hour political maneuver,” saying voters would see that the “ratepayer protection” name was not matched by real relief on their bills.

The bill was a personal mission for Ohio Senator Jon Husted, who is running one of the tightest Senate races against former Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown. Data centers have become a flashpoint in that race, as communities in Ohio have experienced the rapid expansion of AI processing facilities. An internal memo from the Republican Senate campaign committee described the issue as “the anchor holding Husted down,” CNN reports.

Husted had pushed party leadership to return to Washington this week for the vote, amid concerns that Republicans have not done enough on the cost of living. “This is the bill that gives us the chance to prove to the American people that we are for lower energy prices… This bill is the only game in town,” Husted said. Some Republicans acknowledged they could do more: Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri said people want relief on fuel prices, health care and rights in the face of data centers, while Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana said people are angry about the cost of living. Senators are expected to leave Washington and not return until after the November 3 elections.