Democrats block GOP data center, stock trading bills — SkimNews
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- Senate Democrats defeated the Ratepayer Protection Act 57-43 and the Stop Insider Trading Act 53-47, with both falling short of the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster on the chamber's last day before recess.
- The Ratepayer Protection Act, which passed the House 417-3 earlier this month, would let states consider adopting a framework requiring large AI data centers to cover their own energy costs rather than passing them to ratepayers.
- Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called the data center bill a "toothless messaging bill" and a "fraud" whose shortcomings could be summed up in one word — "optional" — while branding the stock trading measure a "theatrical farce" with a "poison pill" voter ID rider.
- Sen. Elizabeth Warren dismissed the data center legislation as a "silly piece of nonsense" and said Democrats would back "something of substance," reiterating her call for a national moratorium on data centers until developers prove they cover full costs.
- The Stop Insider Trading Act would prohibit sitting members of Congress from buying individual stocks but would not force divestment of existing portfolios — a key gap that fueled Democratic demands for a stronger ban.
- Sen. Jon Husted, the Ohio Republican who requested unanimous consent for quick passage earlier this month, called both proposals "commonsense, bipartisan bills" and now faces a "toss up" reelection race against former Sen. Sherrod Brown, who has accused him of helping bring data centers to the state.
Why it matters: Republicans gain a ready-made campaign talking point heading into 2026 midterms — both bills polled as broadly popular with voters — while Democrats counter that GOP 'solutions' are deliberately weak: the data center bill lets states merely 'consider' cost-shifting rules, and the stock trading ban exempts existing portfolios. The fight crystallizes around who owns the affordability and corruption narratives that will define the cycle.
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