Sanders and AOC push bill to halt AI data center construction

Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez introduced the Artificial Intelligence Data Center Moratorium Act on March 25, 2026, calling for an immediate federal ban on new AI data center construction until Congress enacts comprehensive AI safeguards.

The proposed legislation would freeze all new data center development until laws are passed addressing AI safety, privacy, civil rights, environmental impact, and equitable distribution of AI benefits. Both lawmakers argued that Congress is currently unprepared for the pace and scale of the AI revolution.

Their bill targets several specific concerns: data centers are inflating electricity bills for ordinary Americans, they enable mass surveillance and deepfake creation, and they are displacing jobs faster than new ones are being created. The bill also includes a provision banning the export of AI computing infrastructure to countries without adequate safeguards.

The legislation reflects a broader grassroots movement: more than 100 communities and 12 states are already considering or have enacted similar local moratoriums on data centers. National opposition is growing.

The bill faces an uphill battle in Congress, where tech industry lobbying is strong. However, the political signal is clear — the unchecked expansion of AI infrastructure is now a mainstream political issue in the United States.

For enterprise technology leaders and CIOs, this development signals a new era of regulatory uncertainty around large AI infrastructure investments. Even if this specific bill fails, it is likely to accelerate state-level legislation and influence how hyperscalers plan future data center expansions.