Can Congress Protect Americans From Big Energy Bills Caused by AI?

Congress took a big step on Tuesday to protect Americans from rising energy bills tied to artificial intelligence. A bill called the Ratepayer Protection Act passed a key House committee by a vote of 52 to 0. The bill would make data centers — the giant buildings that power AI technology — pay the full cost of the electricity they use. Two lawmakers, one Republican and one Democrat, worked together to write it.

Data centers need huge amounts of electricity to run the computers inside them. Right now, some of that cost gets passed on to everyday people through higher utility bills. The new bill would set a federal standard telling states to require data centers to cover all of their own electricity costs. That means regular customers would not have to pay extra just because a tech company built a facility nearby.

The bill was sponsored by Rep. Gabe Evans, a Republican from Colorado, and Rep. Kathy Castor, a Democrat from Florida. Big tech companies like Google and Microsoft have said they support it. Their backing makes sense, since both companies already signed a pledge at the White House in March to pay the full costs of their own electricity use. That pledge was voluntary, but this bill would make it the law.

People across the country are growing more upset about data centers being built near their homes. A recent poll found that 41 percent of Americans oppose having a data center built within 3 miles of where they live. That number was only 28 percent back in January, which shows how fast opinions are changing. Even strong supporters of former President Trump have become more skeptical of these massive buildings.

Politicians in both parties are paying attention to the anger over data centers. New York Governor Kathy Hochul recently signed a law putting a temporary stop to new data center projects in her state. Rep. Debbie Dingell of Michigan said she hears about this issue from her community every single day. David Jolly, a Democrat running for governor of Florida, called for a pause on new data centers until the state has a plan to protect its water, power grid, and communities.

Not everyone in Congress agrees on how to handle the issue. Some Republicans want the committee to focus on whether China is trying to stir up anger against data centers in the United States. They have called for an investigation into that question. Still, the bill's strong 52-0 vote shows that many lawmakers on both sides want to act.

The bill still has a long way to go before it becomes law. It needs to pass the full House and then the Senate. Senator Mike Lee of Utah, who leads the Senate's energy committee, has said data center legislation is not a top priority right now. Supporters are hopeful, but they know the road ahead will not be easy.

In other energy news, EPA chief Lee Zeldin told the coal industry the government plans to roll back rules that limited coal's pollution. President Trump has also ordered a review of the National Academies, a respected science group that helped write educational materials about climate change for federal judges. Critics worry these moves will make it harder for the country to deal with environmental problems. Supporters say the changes are needed to help American industries grow.