Sanders and AOC Move to Halt All New AI Data Centers in the US Until Regulations Are in Place

Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez introduced the Artificial Intelligence Data Center Moratorium Act on March 25, 2026. The bill would impose an immediate, nationwide halt on the construction and upgrading of new AI data centers in the United States, to remain in effect until Congress establishes comprehensive federal safeguards for artificial intelligence.

The rationale is wide-ranging. Sanders and AOC argue that the AI revolution is moving faster than democratic oversight can keep up. The bill cites rising electricity costs for ordinary households, mass surveillance risks, deepfakes undermining public discourse, and job displacement from automation.

The proposal sets specific conditions for lifting the moratorium: AI products must not harm public health or civil rights; the economic gains from AI must benefit workers rather than just tech company owners; environmental impacts must be regulated; and new facilities should be built by union workers. The bill also proposes an export ban on AI chips to countries without comparable standards.

Over 100 local communities across 12 states have already enacted their own temporary bans on data center construction — a fact Sanders and AOC cite as evidence of widespread and genuine concern.

The odds of passage are low in the current political climate, but the bill marks an important signal: the progressive wing of American politics is actively pushing back against unchecked AI expansion. For European companies planning US-based AI infrastructure, and for AI vendors growing into regulated markets, this is a development worth noting.