The House just passed the first major data center legislation of the 119th Congress — and it sailed through with overwhelming bipartisan support.
The Ratepayer Protection Act cleared the chamber Wednesday in a 417-3 vote, marking rare unity on Capitol Hill ahead of the November midterms. The bill aims to stop Big Tech’s massive AI data centers from dumping their energy infrastructure costs onto everyday Americans’ electric bills.
It’s a response to a growing backlash in red and blue communities alike — families watching their utility bills climb as tech giants build power-hungry server farms nearby.
“Colorado families, farmers and small businesses should not be forced to cover the costs of new power generation driven by these developments.”
The legislation doesn’t ban data centers or cap their growth. Instead, it amends existing energy law so states must consider a federal cost-allocation standard. Any data center consuming 100 megawatts or more would have to pay the full cost of generation, transmission, and distribution upgrades built to serve it — not pass those costs to residential ratepayers.
Companies would also be required to post financial assurances in case a project gets canceled or relocated. That protects communities from being stuck with the bill for infrastructure built for a tech giant that never shows up.
Rep. Gabe Evans, R-Colo., the bill’s sponsor, framed it as keeping America competitive in AI without making working families pay the freight.
“As America races to lead the world in AI, we must build the energy infrastructure needed to support this innovation and stay ahead of competitors like communist China,” Evans said in a statement. “But Colorado families, farmers and small businesses should not be forced to cover the costs of new power generation driven by these developments.”
His Democratic co-sponsor, Rep. Kathy Castor of Florida, echoed the ratepayer-protection angle.
“My neighbors across Florida are grappling with skyrocketing electric bills,” Castor said. “Ratepayers should not have to subsidize wealthy corporations’ growing energy demands, especially from AI data centers.”
The issue has rapidly become a midterm flashpoint. Candidates from both parties are carefully navigating voter anger over affordability and energy costs tied to data center expansion.
Roy Cooper, former Democratic governor of North Carolina now running for Senate, once celebrated data centers as job creators. He’s since qualified that support as power costs have climbed in the Tar Heel State.
“Roy believes local communities must have the final say on new projects coming to their area, which includes local moratoriums, and data centers must pay for all of the energy they use without passing on any of their costs to consumers,” a Cooper campaign spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
His Republican opponent, former RNC Chairman Michael Whatley, staked out similar ground — emphasizing local control and zero cost-shifting to families.
“Michael Whatley’s standard is simple: Data centers pay their own way, families pay nothing and communities decide,” Whatley’s campaign said. “That means Big Tech builds or buys every megawatt it needs and covers every dime of the grid upgrades to deliver it, with zero costs shifted onto residential ratepayers.”
The bill now heads to the Senate, where its fate is uncertain. But with 417 House votes behind it, the message to Big Tech is clear: American families shouldn’t subsidize the AI boom.
