Two high-profile progressive lawmakers introduced legislation Wednesday to pause new data centers in the United States until federal safeguards are in place, arguing that the rapid growth of artificial intelligence and the facilities that support it is outpacing protections for workers, consumers and the environment.
Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont introduced the bill in Washington, according to the Associated Press. The lawmakers said the pause would give time for policymakers, business leaders and other stakeholders to understand risks they say are still not adequately addressed and to ensure safeguards are built before more facilities move ahead.
The lawmakers’ push comes amid backlash in communities across the country that have raised concerns about rising electricity prices as well as pollution and water consumption tied to data centers. The AP reported that opposition to power-price increases was also a factor in Democratic election wins last year in states including Georgia, Virginia and New Jersey.
Sanders argued that voters need more than voluntary assurances from major technology companies as they confront what he described as a sweeping technological shift. Speaking at a news conference at the Capitol, Sanders said, “Congress is way behind where it should be in understanding the nature of this revolution and its impacts,” and he also described the need for safeguards as the bill was introduced.
Ocasio-Cortez framed the bill as a response to what she characterized as aggressive expansion plans by major technology firms. The AP reported that she said companies are seeking “endless energy” and “are now so desperate to profit off the AI boom that they are racing to construct thousands of giant AI data centers and jacking up the utility costs of everyday Americans to pay for it.”
Supporters of the moratorium also pointed to the scale of demand that data centers can create. The AP said U.S. electricity consumption hit a record high in 2024 and that it is expected to keep rising as data centers expand. It also reported that a “typical AI-focused data center consumes as much electricity as 100,000 households.”
The White House, meanwhile, has sought to address public concerns about energy impacts from AI. The AP reported that President Donald Trump has said, “They need some PR help because people think that if a data center goes in there, electricity prices are going to go up,” and it said Trump invited major technology companies to the White House earlier this month to commit to developing their own power generation.
The bill faces skepticism from many lawmakers in both parties. The AP reported that most lawmakers rejected the idea of a moratorium, and it cited Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, who said in a post on X that a moratorium amounts to waving a “surrender flag” to China.
Industry groups also opposed the pause. The AP reported that the Data Center Coalition, an industry group, said data centers “power modern life” and warned that a moratorium would limit internet capacity, slow critical services, eliminate hundreds of thousands of high-wage jobs, drain local tax revenue and raise costs for American families and small businesses. The AP also quoted the coalition’s senior director of federal affairs, Cy McNeill, on those concerns.
The White House has also said Congress should “preempt state AI laws” that it views as too burdensome, laying out a framework for addressing AI without curbing growth or innovation. That blueprint, the AP reported, outlines guiding principles that include protecting children, preventing electricity costs from surging, respecting intellectual property rights, preventing censorship and educating Americans on using the technology.
Companies that have committed to Trump’s pledge to protect ratepayers include Google, Microsoft, Meta, Oracle, xAI, OpenAI and Amazon, the AP reported. As part of those commitments, the companies agreed to build or buy new sources of power generation for their data centers and to cover the expense of infrastructure upgrades.