Bernie Sanders Unveils Bill to Ban Data Centers Until Congress Passes AI Regulation

Sanders’s bill would impose a nationwide moratorium on new data center development, effectively linking the growth of AI systems to the pace of federal rulemaking. The former presidential contender framed the measure as a necessary pause to allow lawmakers to assess the economic, environmental and societal risks associated with rapidly advancing AI technologies. As he put it, “there are people who are talking about this being much more transformational than the Industrial Revolution… and I think it is amazing… that Congress has done virtually nothing to control AI and robotics.”

The legislation reflects intensifying backlash against data centers, which have become focal points in local and national debates over AI. These facilities, often sprawling and energy-intensive, are increasingly associated with rising electricity demand, environmental strain and community disruption. According to the report, polling shows Americans hold broadly negative views of data centers’ impact on energy costs, environmental quality and local living conditions, even as they acknowledge their economic benefits.

Sanders is not acting alone. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) is preparing to introduce companion legislation in the House, signaling coordination among progressive lawmakers seeking to reshape the trajectory of AI deployment. The joint approach underscores a broader political realignment in which populist figures across both parties are converging around skepticism of AI’s unchecked growth, particularly its implications for labor markets and inequality.

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At the core of the Sanders-Ocasio-Cortez proposal is a requirement that federal regulators first establish safeguards to ensure AI systems are safe and that the economic gains they generate are more broadly distributed. The bill explicitly ties the lifting of the moratorium to the enactment of such rules, effectively using infrastructure as leverage to compel regulatory action.

Related: White House Pushes Congress for National AI Law to Override State Rules

The measure emerges amid a widening policy divide in Washington. While Sanders and allied lawmakers push for precautionary limits, the Trump administration has taken a markedly deregulatory stance. The White House recently advanced a legislative framework that would impose only limited federal oversight while preempting states’ ability to adopt their own AI regulations. Administration officials, backed by industry-aligned advisers, argue that minimizing constraints is essential to maintaining U.S. competitiveness, particularly against China.

This divergence highlights a central tension in the AI policy debate: whether to prioritize rapid innovation or to impose guardrails before the technology becomes more deeply embedded in the economy. Industry groups have warned that a moratorium could disrupt digital services and undermine economic growth. Cy McNeill of the Data Center Coalition cautioned in comments to the Post that such a policy “risks rationing access to digital services” and could have “substantial impacts on Americans’ daily lives.”

Yet momentum behind restrictions appears to be building outside Washington. The Post notes that dozens of local governments and roughly a dozen states are considering or have proposed limits on data center construction. These efforts are notable for their bipartisan nature, bringing together environmental advocates, community groups and policymakers concerned about infrastructure strain and land use.

The political dynamics are further complicated by escalating industry involvement in elections, with AI companies and executives funding political action committees to influence the regulatory landscape. At the same time, advocacy groups pushing for stronger safeguards argue that public sentiment is shifting in their favor.

Despite the growing attention, Sanders’s bill faces long odds in Congress. Still, its introduction marks a significant escalation in the debate over AI governance. By targeting data centers, the legislation reframes the issue from abstract concerns about algorithms to tangible impacts on infrastructure, anchoring the regulatory conversation in communities already grappling with the physical footprint of the AI boom.