Senator Martin Heinrich halted the fast-track passage of HR 9340, a bill requiring AI data centers to fund the electricity grid upgrades they necessitate. The measure passed the House of Representatives 417-3, with only three Democrats voting against it. Heinrich argued the legislation does not go far enough and called for stronger, enforceable protections for ratepayers in the Senate.

The Ratepayer Protection Act would require states to consider rules making large data centers cover the incremental grid costs they create rather than shifting those expenses onto other customers. The legislation aims to prevent residential households from paying for the increased power capacity required by high-demand facilities.