senate blocks data center bill

As of September 18, 2026, legislative action regarding data center energy costs has hit a stalemate in the U.S. Senate.

The Situation

On September 17, 2026, the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed the Ratepayer Protection Act (H.R. 9340) in a 417-3 bipartisan vote. The bill aims to protect consumers from rising electricity costs associated with AI data centers by requiring state utility regulators to consider standards that would force large data centers to pay for the full cost of required grid upgrades.

Senate Blockage

When the bill reached the Senate, Senator Jon Husted (R-Ohio) attempted to pass it via "unanimous consent" to expedite the process. However, this effort was blocked by Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), the ranking member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

• Why it was blocked: Senator Heinrich argued that the Ratepayer Protection Act does not go far enough to protect families, characterizing it as relying on a "voluntary framework" rather than establishing mandatory, enforceable requirements.
• Competing Legislation: Instead, Senator Heinrich sought to pass his own bill, the GRID Savings Act, which he argued would provide "real teeth" by mandating that large-load customers like data centers pay for the necessary grid infrastructure.
• Resulting Stalemate: Senator Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) subsequently objected to Senator Heinrich’s request to pass the GRID Savings Act, effectively halting both legislative efforts on the Senate floor.

The blockage leaves the future of data center energy legislation uncertain as Congress heads toward the upcoming midterm election period.