Sen. Sanders Introduces the AI Data Center Moratorium Act to Halt Construction
This bill is currently in the early stages of the legislative process after being sent to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation for review. It is considered active, but no further hearings or votes have been scheduled at this time.
This bill faces strong opposition from the tech industry and lawmakers who worry that a construction pause would let other countries get ahead in AI technology.
Scores run from -100 (strongly harmful) to +100 (strongly beneficial) for each group, combining impact, certainty, scope, and duration ratings of 1-5. How impact scoring works
A moratorium on AI data center construction would freeze a fast-growing sector that supports thousands of small businesses involved in construction, electrical work, HVAC, and equipment supply. Small contractors and vendors who serve data center projects would lose a major revenue stream for the duration of the freeze, with no clear timeline for when it would end.
“the construction or upgrading of new or existing artificial intelligence data centers may not commence or proceed”
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.
Introduced in Senate
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
The bill would require Congress to pass legislation protecting workers and the environment before new construction can resume. Sanders called AI an 'existential threat' and criticized Democratic leadership for not moving quickly enough to regulate the industry.
The Artificial Intelligence Data Center Moratorium Act represents the most sweeping federal effort to slow data center expansion. The bill aligns with local efforts in over a dozen states where lawmakers are weighing construction halts due to energy and water consumption concerns.
The legislation argues that pausing construction and upgrades will allow government oversight to catch up with rapid AI development. The bill cites concerns over mass unemployment, surveillance, deepfakes, and the massive environmental footprint of high-intensity computing facilities.
No votes recorded for this bill yet.
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Artificial Intelligence Data Center Moratorium Act
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