Senators Split Over Bill Addressing Data Center Power Costs
Hassan joined three other Senate Democrats in voting to advance the data center power-cost bill.

SOURCE CHECK
TAP FOR WHYMoney Talks News is a consumer-focused outlet with an identified author, but the article is brief and provides limited sourcing beyond statements attributed to lawmakers. The available information supports moderate institutional credibility.
- Source type — The outlet is a consumer-focused publisher rather than a major wire service or newspaper of record.
- Author attribution — A named author is credited.
- Editorial standards — The brief report attributes lawmakers’ positions but offers little detail about reporting or verification practices.
The article describes the bill’s provision and presents arguments from both sides, with statements attributed to named senators. It is concise and provides little additional context, sourcing, or detail about the Senate vote.
HOW WE SCORE ↗The article includes Democratic objections and Republican arguments for the bill, as well as the measure’s provisions. The brief account offers limited detail about the Senate vote and does not include outside experts or other independent perspectives.
- Counterarguments presented — Both the bill’s supporters’ stated rationale and Democrats’ objections are included.
- Source diversity — The perspectives are mostly those of named lawmakers from the two parties.
- Omitted context — The article provides little detail about the vote or independent analysis of the bill’s effects.
The report presents the dispute in neutral terms, describing both the bill’s stated aim and Democratic objections without clearly favoring either side.
- Language tone — Mostly descriptive wording; pointed phrases are attributed to the senators who used them.
- Source selection — The article includes statements and arguments from both parties.
- Framing — The story frames the issue as a disagreement over how data center power costs should be handled.
Four Senate Democrats voted to advance the Ratepayer Protection Act, breaking with party leadership over how data centers should pay for power costs. The disagreement centers on whether regulators should decide whether data centers cover those costs or the law should require them to pay.
The Ratepayer Protection Act passed the House 417-3. It would require state utility regulators to consider rules requiring data centers to recover the full incremental cost of the power they need. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said the bill did not go far enough; Democrats want data centers required by law to pay for their own power upgrades.
Sens. Amy Klobuchar, Jon Ossoff, Raphael Warnock and Maggie Hassan voted to advance the measure, breaking with party leadership. Ossoff said it was worthy of debate and noted the cost of powering a home. Senate Majority Leader John Thune accused Democrats of trying to deny Sen. Jon Husted, the bill’s sponsor, an election-year political win.
Community verdict
6 VOTESPeople in this story
SWIPE →Senator who voted to advance the bill
Warnock's version of this story ↗Senator who voted to advance the bill and defended allowing it to be debated
Ossoff's version of this story ↗Senate Majority Leader who criticized Democrats’ opposition to the bill
Senator and sponsor of the bill
Senate Minority Leader who opposed the bill as insufficient
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