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Thune’s SD SIte
The Leader Board • Remarks
September 17th, 2026

Democrats Block Sen. Husted’s Bill to Protect American Families From Higher Energy Costs

In a Fit of Partisan Politics, Senate Democrats Blocked Sen. Jon Husted’s (R-Ohio) Ratepayer Protection Act, Legislation Shielding Americans From Potential Energy Costs Associated With Data Centers, a Concern Held by Over 80% of Americans

THIS AFTERNOON, SENATE DEMOCRATS BLOCKED SEN. HUSTED’S RATEPAYER PROTECTION ACT FROM BECOMING LAW, DESPITE THE BILL RECEIVING NEAR-UNIVERSAL SUPPORT IN THE HOUSE 

“If America wants to lead the world in AI and strengthen our national security, we have to build the energy infrastructure to support it. But we must do that without passing the costs on to working families and small businesses. The Ratepayer Protection Act would keep America globally competitive while protecting Ohioans and Americans from higher electricity bills.” – Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio)

“With affordability concerns front and center for the American people, it’s unfortunate – but not surprising – to see Senate Democrats block @SenJonHusted’s commonsense Ratepayer Protection Act, which passed the House yesterday with an overwhelming 417-3 vote. They’ll need to explain to their constituents why they say one thing on this issue but do another when it comes to making a law.” – Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.)

  • Yesterday, the House passed the Ratepayer Protection Act in an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote of 417-3. (Politico: House overwhelmingly passes bill to shield ratepayers from data centers – 9/16/26)
  • “The passage marks the first major bill to advance through Congress addressing the costs of the data center boom, as concerns about the costs and safety of artificial intelligence reach a fever pitch among voters.” (Politico: House overwhelmingly passes bill to shield ratepayers from data centers – 9/16/26)
  • According to recent polling, 84% of U.S. adults are either “somewhat” or “extremely or very” concerned about data centers affecting electricity prices. (Associated Press poll – 9/16/26)
  • “[T]he bill does not seek to ban data centers, set limitations on their expansion or even set regulatory guidelines for them. Instead, it amends existing energy law, the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA), so states must consider a federal standard. Large data centers that consume 100 megawatts or more would pay the full extra cost of the generation, transmission and distribution upgrades built to serve them.” (Fox News: First data center bill clears House as both parties scramble for answers on affordability – 9/17/26)
  • “Companies would also be required to make financial assurances in the event a project is canceled or moved to prevent communities from being left holding the bill.” (Fox News: First data center bill clears House as both parties scramble for answers on affordability – 9/17/26)
  • “The House version of the bill, led by Reps. Gabe Evans (R-Colo.) and Kathy Castor (D-Fla.), was bipartisan from the start.” (Politico: Democrat blocks fast-track passage for data center ratepayer bill – 9/17/26)
  • “[O]nly three Democrats ended up voting against the bill — all progressives. All Republicans present voted for the bill.” (Politico: House overwhelmingly passes bill to shield ratepayers from data centers – 9/16/26)
  • Despite this overwhelming bipartisan support from lawmakers and benefit for consumers, Senate Democrats decided to side with three left-wing progressive Democrats and stop the bill in its tracks:
    • “Working families, small businesses, and senior citizens should not be asked to open up their electric bills and discover they’re paying for the power infrastructure needed by some large tech company in the world or in their neighborhood. That is the principle behind the Ratepayer Protection Act… I’m going to urge unanimous consent for this commonsense bill.” – Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio)
    • “Mr. President, I object.” – Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.)
    • “All we had to do is not have an objection from a Democrat senator. That bill would become law today and taxpayers all over America, electricity users all over this country, would have seen immediate relief. We would have advanced the ball. The term ‘do-nothing Congress’ exists for a reason. We absolutely accomplished that right now. We did nothing here in the Senate because, again, of Democrat obstruction.” – Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio)

BLOCKING THIS BILL FROM SWIFT PASSAGE IS YET ANOTHER INSTANCE OF SENATE DEMOCRATS ATTEMPTING TO STAND IN THE WAY OF EFFORTS TO LOWER COSTS FOR AMERICANS

  • Last summer, every single Senate Democrat voted against Working Families Tax Cuts law, which prevented a $4+ trillion tax hike on all Americans from taking effect at the end of 2025. (H.R. 1: Roll Call Vote #372 – 7/1/25; U.S. Senate Committee on Finance: Working Families Tax Cuts – accessed 9/17/26)
  • In addition to directly allowing Americans to keep more of their hard-earned money via lower taxes, the Working Families Tax Cuts law that Democrats universally opposed also took important steps to reduce energy and electricity costs by:
  • Also this Congress, Republicans overcame dozens of Democrat attempts to maintain the Biden administration’s multi-trillion-dollar regulatory agenda:
    • “According to the aggregated collection of self-reported estimates from federal agencies, the cumulative total of regulatory costs under the Biden Administration added up to more than $1.8 trillion – far exceeding any preceding administration on record.” (American Action Forum: The Biden Regulatory Record – 1/29/25)
    • The Biden administration issued more economically significant rules “than any of the past six administrations managed to accomplish in the entire four years of their first term.” (The Wall Street Journal: The Regulatory State Is In Flux Like Never Before, and Businesses Are Hating It – 9/3/24)
    • To reverse this unprecedented regulatory burden, Senate Republicans have passed 25 Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolutions of disapproval to undo harmful energy, environmental, and public lands rules – including the repeal of the California electric vehicle (EV) mandate. Of these, 23 have become law. (American Action Forum: Congressional Review Act Tracker for the 119th Congress – accessed 9/17/26)
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