House Republicans Advance Bill to Secure Affordable Energy and American AI Leadership

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 9340, the Ratepayer Protection Act, introduced by Rep. Gabe Evans (CO-08). The legislation would help ensure that companies building and operating data centers bear the costs of the electricity they consume, rather than shifting these costs onto hardworking American families.

Maintaining American AI leadership requires continued investment in domestic data centers and the infrastructure needed to power them. The rapid growth in data centers also highlights longstanding challenges to deploying reliable and affordable electricity. These challenges are the result of harmful Biden-era policies, namely the premature retirement of baseload power generation and the overreliance on intermittent energy sources, like wind and solar, which complicates efforts to meet rising electricity demands.

When built with the proper guardrails in place, data centers have the potential to stabilize and modernize the nation’s electric grid, and can even lower electricity rates. The Ratepayer Protection Act codifies the White House’s Ratepayer Protection Pledge from earlier this year, under which more than 300 organizations ranging from utilities to data center developers committed to protecting communities from increased costs resulting from data center construction.

Here’s what Republicans had to say about securing American AI leadership and lowering energy costs for American families:

“Hardworking families should not have to subsidize the energy demands of data centers. America needs the infrastructure to lead the world in AI and outcompete Communist China, but we cannot have that growth at the expense of hardworking families, farmers, seniors, and small businesses. My bipartisan Ratepayer Protection Act ensures large data centers pay for the infrastructure they require while giving states the flexibility to determine what works best for their communities. I’m incredibly proud to lead the charge on this pivotal issue, ensure our ratepayers are protected, and keep American innovation moving forward,” said Rep. Gabe Evans (CO-08).

“States and localities are the ones who decide what gets built and where, and the Ratepayer Protection Act reinforces that authority. This legislation sets a simple, commonsense standard: if a data center is creating new demand on the grid, it should cover the costs of serving that demand, so ratepayers get to keep enjoying reliable power without picking up someone else's tab,” said RSC Chairman August Pfluger (TX-11).

“Energy in America should be abundant, affordable, and reliable regardless of what industries are scaling operations in our states and communities. The bipartisan Ratepayer Protection Act signals to states they should be working with hyperscale data centers to ensure the costs of power generation, transmission, and other energy infrastructure needs are covered by the data centers and not passed on to consumers. By working together with local, state, and federal officials, we can ensure a critical national security priority is met by winning the 4th industrial revolution over China all while adding increased energy capacity and upgraded electrical grids to serve the American public,” said RSC’s Budget and Spending Task Force Chair Beth Van Duyne (TX-24).

“Local residents should be the decisionmakers if a data center will be built in their community. If they choose to move forward with these developments, the residents should know their electricity bills will not increase as a result. The Ratepayer Protection Act is a commonsense step to ensure the companies building these data centers, not Michigan families, are paying for the electricity to power them,” said Rep. John Moolenaar (MI-02). 

“West Virginia families and American taxpayers should not be forced to foot the bill for massive data centers, and the enormous potential demands they place on our power grid. The Ratepayer Protection Act preserves state and local control over data center projects while ensuring that hardworking Americans are not asked to pay for hundreds of millions of dollars in new generation, transmission, or distribution infrastructure costs. That cost should always be on the companies,” said Rep. Riley Moore (WV-02).

“Data centers are powering the next generation of American innovation, but hardworking families should not be forced to pay higher electric bills to subsidize their growth. The Ratepayer Protection Act is simple: if a large-load customer requires major upgrades to our electric grid, they should pay their fair share of the cost. I am proud to support this commonsense legislation that protects ratepayers, strengthens our energy infrastructure, and ensures America can continue leading the world in innovation without leaving our communities with the bill,” said Rep. Buddy Carter (GA-01). 

“Congress has a responsibility to ensure consumers have commonsense protections from artificial intelligence without putting the brakes on American innovation. I’m happy to cosponsor the bipartisan Ratepayer Protection Act, and I am glad to see it receive a vote in the House. This legislation will protect our energy grid and address the growing costs data centers can place on hardworking families and small businesses. No Nebraska ratepayer should subsidize a Big Tech company's expansion,” said Rep. Mike Flood (NE-01).

“By ensuring that large, high‑demand facilities cover the full cost of the energy needs they require, the Ratepayer Protection Act responsibly addresses potential energy cost increases without leaving families and small businesses to shoulder the financial burden. As communities in southern Minnesota and across the country continue conversations about data centers, this bipartisan legislation is an important step toward protecting consumers from rising electricity costs. I’m proud to join my RSC colleagues in supporting its passage today,” said Rep. Brad Finstad (MN-01). 

“Glad to support the Ratepayer Protection Act to ensure that any new investments in power generation and infrastructure aren’t made at the expense of higher utility rates for the families in Colorado’s Fifth Congressional District,” said Rep. Jeff Crank (CO-05). 

“Data centers are necessary, but each individual community should have the right to decide where they are located. They should not negatively affect water tables or pass their energy costs on to ratepayers. The Ratepayer Protection Act ensures we can remain strong in the AI race against China while protecting hard-working Americans from financial burdens. We will continue to find ways to invest in American infrastructure while keeping costs low for the people who make our nation strong,” said Rep. John McGuire (VA-05). 

“Protecting families and communities from increased energy costs is paramount—especially after years of skyrocketing energy costs driven by Joe Biden’s ‘Green New Scam.’ The Ratepayer Protection Act will inject transparency and public scrutiny into the system to ensure that the largest users of energy—including hyperscale data centers—pay for energy infrastructure upgrades and generation capacity, protecting American families from unpredictable energy bills,” said Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04).

“Hardworking families and small businesses should not be forced to foot the bill for the development of data centers. I am committed to protecting Northwest Georgia ratepayers and will always fight for the families of GA-14,” said Rep. Clay Fuller (GA-14).

“Americans deserve stability in the utility marketplace insulated from sudden price hikes driven by major new projects that desire access to shared power grids. The Ratepayer Protection Act delivers critical safeguards surrounding the construction of digital infrastructure while protecting communities from surprise energy bills,” said RSC’s Article One Task Force Chair Harriet Hageman (WY-AL).