Senate Democrats have blocked a bill that aimed to shield Americans from rising energy costs from data centers.
Lawmakers voted 57-43 on HR 9340, called the Ratepayer Protection Act. The 43 votes against were cast by Democrats or independents.
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The same bill, HR 9340, previously passed the House on a vote of 417-3.
The bill, if passed by the Senate and signed into law, would have required states to consider activating a federal standard for large-load customers like data centers that would shoulder costs of generation, transmission, or distribution incurred by heavy electricity use. The measure aimed to protect Americans from paying the costs associated with larger energy consumers such as data centers that have a peak electric demand of 100 megawatts or more at a single site or campus.
Under the plan, an electric utility must require a large-load customer to provide financial assurance that it will cover the cost of any generation, transmission, or distribution upgrade that is necessary to serve the load of a large-load customer before the utility makes upgrades.
Sen. John Husted (R-OH) has supported the data center bill that he called a “no-brainer.” Democrats might have killed the bill to help Sherrod Brown, a Democrat seeking to win Ohio’s Senate seat filled by Husted.
The Ratepayer Protection Act was such a no brainer that some of the most conservative and the most liberal representatives all agreed it was good policy.
Senate Democrats are the only ones who refused to take yes for an answer. pic.twitter.com/7JeH4RkTJQ
— Senator Jon Husted (@SenJonHusted) September 30, 2026
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Once again, Senate Democrats refuse to work with Republicans to pass common sense measures. Now they block a bill that would require data center companies to pay for the power generation. Crazy. https://t.co/OuXXH0tTmH
— Mike Lawler (@lawler4ny) September 30, 2026
Republicans introduced the Ratepayer Protection Act to make sure data centers pay for their own power infrastructure instead of sticking regular customers with higher electric bills.
Itpassed the House 417-3 with every Republican supporting its passage…. BUT: Senate Democrats…
— House Republicans (@HouseGOP) September 30, 2026
ICYMI: This afternoon, Senate Democrats voted to block our Ratepayer Protection Act.
This bill would’ve ensured families and small businesses weren’t left footing astronomical electricity bills because of data centers.
Democrats don’t want solutions, they just want obstruction. pic.twitter.com/yyUlnuidnW
— Senator Jim Banks (@SenatorBanks) September 30, 2026
Passed 417-3 in the House. Senate Democrats kill it with a filibuster. https://t.co/aJfZaYh52L
— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) September 30, 2026
Me + Sen Ernst + Reps Hinson/Miller Meeks/Nunn/Feenstra all voted 2 protect Iowans frm energy costs associated w data centers Yet Sen Democrats BLOCKED the bill 2day U see how Democrats govern: they want 2 RAISE ur energy bill
— Chuck Grassley (@ChuckGrassley) September 30, 2026
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WATCH LIVE: Schumer holds news conference after Senate rejects data center bill https://t.co/SIuIvPJ4WI
— PBS News (@NewsHour) September 30, 2026
Democrats just blocked @SenJonHusted’s Ratepayer Protection Act.
Instead of fostering responsible, thoughtful innovation, @SenateDems would rather play politics with Americans’ lives and pocketbooks. pic.twitter.com/a82uDxjSZH
— Senator Bill Hagerty (@SenatorHagerty) September 30, 2026
Senate Dems Block Ratepayer Protection Act After Near-Unanimous House Vote
The Ratepayer Protection Act passed the HOUSE 417-3.
Hakeem Jeffries voted YES.
AOC voted YES.Chuck Schumer blocked it in the Senate.
Sen John Cornyn says Schumer isn’t blocking this bill because of… pic.twitter.com/bqBnlI2xRL
— Mr Producer (@RichSementa) September 25, 2026
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