The Senate stopped a bill Wednesday that aimed to protect families from higher power bills. Democrats blocked the legislation with a 57-43 vote, missing the 60 needed to move forward. The measure wanted state regulators to ask data center builders to pay for their own water and electricity costs.
It passed the House just two weeks ago with nearly all members supporting it. Now it sits dead in the Senate. NBC News reported the vote fell short of the number needed to break a filibuster. The bill would have set a federal standard for how these huge buildings get their power.
Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, led the charge in the Senate. He is running for his first full term and faces a tough race against Sherrod Brown. Brown has called Husted “the face of data centers” for his past work promoting these sites. Husted told reporters on Tuesday that Democrats claimed they wanted lower prices.
According to him, if they simply vote for it instead of blocking it, it will reach the president’s desk, resulting in a bipartisan victory. That win never happened. The Washington Examiner noted this outcome marks a setback for Husted as he faces pressure at home.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said the bill was not strong enough to help anyone. On Tuesday, he informed reporters that the Ratepayer Protection Act is simply a fraud. Schumer argued it does not require any real protections for the people paying the bills. He stated that while Americans desire genuine regulations regarding AI and data centers, Republicans are providing a “toothless messaging bill.”
Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., was the main voice against the bill. Posting on X, he declared that the Ratepayer Protection Act represents exactly what Congress is famous for: all message and no substance.
The GRID Savings Act, a bill introduced by Heinrich, mandates that major consumers cover the costs of their grid enhancements. He argued that “If voluntary worked, we wouldn’t need legislation.” Heinrich said he wants Congress to pass laws with “real teeth.” Heinrich objected when Husted tried to fast-track the bill earlier. Only one senator is needed to stop a recorded vote.
Not every Democrat voted against the measure. The Washington Examiner reported that all but four Democrats opposed it. The four who voted to advance the bill were Sens. Maggie Hassan, Amy Klobuchar, Jon Ossoff, and Raphael Warnock. They cast the only Democratic votes for the legislation. They currently hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate. The bill failed to reach the floor for a full debate because it lacked the necessary votes.
Husted said Democrats wanted lower prices, but the vote shows they did not agree with his method. This bill’s failure provides Republicans with a fresh attack line against Democrats during the campaign’s final weeks. Sen. Martin Heinrich said, “Until then, I’m a NO on this bill.” The House passed the act on Sept. 16 with a 417-3 vote. Now the Senate has decided it is not ready to act on the issue. The question of who pays for the grid upgrades remains unanswered.
