The United States House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a bipartisan bill aimed at protecting consumers from rising energy costs due to the construction of new data centers in local communities. The bill was approved by a vote of 417 to 3, and due to the use of a fast-track approval process, a two-thirds majority was required.
Details of the Bill and Its Impact
The bill, titled the "Consumer Protection Act," is the only AI-related bill scheduled for a vote this week. As the midterm elections approach, Congress is considering its response to serious warnings from some former AI employees about the dangers of the technology. With the last votes in the House before the elections taking place, it is expected that little else will be done regarding AI.
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This bill is dedicated to Representatives Gab Evans (Republican from Colorado) and Kathy Castor (Democrat from Florida) and emphasizes the responsibility of technology companies and data centers to cover the costs of necessary energy upgrades and reforms for operating large data centers. In other words, this law creates a federal standard for state public utility regulators to consider energy production costs and necessary infrastructure when drafting regulations for large and energy-intensive data centers.
Reactions to the Bill and Concerns
However, the Evans and Castor bill does not address recent warnings from AI researchers about the risks of the technology. It is unclear what action the Senate will take on this bill, as that body also has its own bills regarding data centers, but none have progressed so far.
Gab Evans stated in a post-vote statement: "Hardworking families should not bear the burden of data center energy costs. America needs the infrastructure to lead in AI and compete with Communist China, but we cannot achieve this growth at the expense of hardworking families, farmers, seniors, and small businesses."
Evans, who is in his first term, is one of the vulnerable Republican representatives, and elections in his district have been described as a "toss-up." He and other at-risk representatives had urged Republican leaders to hold a vote on data centers, as this issue has become a key topic in the upcoming November midterm elections.
Recent polling showed that nearly 70 percent of respondents oppose the construction of AI data centers in their neighborhoods, with 45 percent strongly opposed. This bill is just one of several energy-related bills that the House reviewed in its final week before the midterm elections.
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