Bernie sanders and AOC Stop New AI Data Centers

Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez introduced bills on March 25, 2026. These bills would stop new AI data centers in the U.S. Sanders said Congress is not ready for AI changes. The bills also block U.S. companies from sending AI chips to countries without similar rules. This would hurt China’s access to advanced chips.

Power Grids Face Big Strains

The bills come as power grids struggle. Demand for electricity has risen sharply. Much of this is from new data centers. Virginia’s Loudoun County has seen big jumps in power use. Sanders’ office says planned AI centers could add millions of homes’ worth of power use by 2028.

Local people are paying more. Columbus, Ohio, added a new fee to pay for grid upgrades. Ocasio-Cortez said communities should not pay for Big Tech’s power needs. Similar fees are being considered in other states.

Local Bans Push Federal Action

Many towns already banned new data centers. These bans started in August 2025. States like Texas, Colorado, and Florida are also considering pauses. Representative Maxwell Frost said local bans made it easier to push federal action.

Big tech companies are spending more to influence lawmakers. Amazon and Microsoft are part of a group spending more on federal outreach. Amazon did not comment. Microsoft also did not comment.

Local Bans Push Federal Action Many towns already banned new data centers.

New Rules on Chip Exports

The bills block U.S. firms from sending top AI chips to countries without similar rules. This would end chip sales to China unless China adopts U.S. rules. Analysts say this could cost chipmakers billions. China called the rule “economic coercion.”

What Rules Will Apply?

The bills let a new federal board set rules. The board has 90 days to create standards for energy use, water use, labor, and community impacts. The ban stays until these rules are final. A Sanders aide said rules must be enforceable before the ban ends.

Environmental groups helped shape the bills. Food & Water Watch praised rules that make data centers pay for pollution. Labor groups want better worker protections. Amazon’s VP called these rules bad for U.S. tech competitiveness.

OpenAI Changes Plans

OpenAI announced it would close its Sora video app. This came as Sanders and AOC introduced their bills. OpenAI said it is shifting to robotics. Analysts say new rules also influenced this decision. Sora made less money than ChatGPT.

OpenAI’s lawyer warned staff about new rules. These rules could treat AI training as critical infrastructure. Amazon, Google, and Meta plan to build new data centers. A long ban would force them to change plans.

Who Sets the Rules?

Lawmakers plan to fast-track the bills. Senate leader Schumer may push the bill during “AI Week” in May. The rules on “acceptable safeguards” will decide the ban’s length. If rules are strict, few projects will pass. Dominion Energy warned delays could move projects to other countries.

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Labor groups want better worker protections.

The EU is watching. EU officials said they might copy U.S. rules. This could raise prices for cloud storage and apps.

Investors are worried. Analysts downgraded data center stocks. They cited uncertainty about new rules. Local officials welcome the pause. In Georgia, planners paused a Meta project. They want to check if promised jobs and power will arrive.

Whether Congress can finish rules before markets react will decide if the ban is short or long.