Two of America’s lawmakers want to stop new AI data centers from being built. Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have reportedly introduced legislation that would place a nationwide freeze on new artificial intelligence (AI) data centre construction until the federal government establishes strong regulations to govern the booming industry.
What the Bill actually does
According to a report by Axios, the Artificial Intelligence Data Center Moratorium Act will halt all new data centre construction across the country, and the ban will only be lifted once Congress passes federal AI legislation that protects workers, safeguards consumers, defends civil rights and limits environmental damage.“AI and robotics are creating the most sweeping technological revolution in the history of humanity Congress is way behind where it should be in understanding the nature of this revolution and its impacts,” Sanders said. Sanders had actually previewed this legislation months earlier, during a trip to California where he met with AI company executives.The bill arrives at a time when tech giants, including Google, Meta, Microsoft and others are spending billions of dollars in constructing data centres to meet the increasing AI demand.Meanwhile, since August 2025, towns and counties in Missouri, Indiana, Georgia, and North Carolina have passed their own temporary bans on data center construction. At least 11 states are now considering similar measures.
Why the bill is being introduced
There three issues in particular: The first is energy costs. Data centers consume enormous amounts of electricity, and the bills are being passed on to ordinary consumers. Tech companies recently committed to pay their own bills. The second is water use. These facilities require vast quantities of water to cool their equipment which has negatively affected the potable water.The third is climate impact. A report by the Center for Biological Diversity found that if current trends continue, data centers could account for nearly half of all US power sector emissions that current climate targets allow.“We cannot sit back and allow a handful of billionaire Big Tech oligarchs to make decisions that will reshape our economy, our democracy and the future of humanity. We need serious public debate and democratic oversight over this enormously consequential issue,” Sanders said, as per The Guardian.