Senator Britt urges Congress to codify Trump's data center pledge
Senator Katie Britt advocates for President Trump's voluntary data center ratepayer protection pledge to become law to shield utility customers from power costs. She also supports water recycling for data centers and believes localities should decide on data center projects, opposing national moratoriums. The discussion highlights a growing bipartisan push to manage data center infrastructure burden amid political challenges and grassroots opposition.
Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.) told Semafor that Congress should codify former President Donald Trump's voluntary Ratepayer Protection Pledge for data center developers. The pledge aims to shield utility ratepayers from the high costs associated with data centers' significant power demands. Britt expressed a desire for the pledge to become law, although she encouraged voluntary adoption in the interim.
Britt is also co-sponsoring a bill with Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) to promote water recycling in data centers. This initiative is part of a broader bipartisan effort in Congress to address the substantial infrastructure strain caused by the rapid expansion of data centers. She voiced support for a proposal by Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted (R-Ohio) to legally enforce Trump's energy usage management plan, a measure that has already received strong bipartisan backing in the House. Senator Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) has also introduced legislation regarding data center power sources.
Despite the growing political challenge posed by data center growth, Britt opposes national moratoriums, believing that local communities should retain the authority to approve or reject data center projects based on their specific needs and opportunity costs. She emphasized the potential for data centers to create jobs and aid U.S. leadership in AI, while cautioning against stifling conversation or allowing the issue to become a divisive "wedge issue" that could negatively impact the country's progress. Britt acknowledged the shifting stance among some Republicans, citing actions like Texas Governor Greg Abbott's freeze on new data center approvals and opposition in states such as Wisconsin and Kansas.