Election Clash Over Data Centers Hits Senate
Rep. Ami Bera said Congress should advance legislation to increase oversight of data centers amid rising utility costs and concerns about their energy and water needs. He supported the Senate’s Ratepayer Protection Act as a starting point, although the measure appeared likely to fail because of political divisions.
Rep. Ami Bera, a California Democrat, told Bloomberg that lawmakers should slow the rapid expansion of data centers and establish clearer federal oversight. He cited rising utility bills and public concerns about how data centers will obtain energy and water, while arguing that regulation should be developed in cooperation with industry and should not prevent the United States from competing globally.
Bera urged the Senate to pass the Ratepayer Protection Act, which had cleared the House with broad bipartisan support. The discussion suggested the bill could fail in the Senate because of election-year politics, with the measure potentially returning during a lame-duck session or in a future Congress. The segment did not identify a specific data center project or company.