House passes the Ratepayer Protection Act
On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended
SEP 16, 2026 · 6:53 PM ET
VOTE ONH.R. 9340Ratepayer Protection ActSEP 16, 2026 · 6:53 PM ET
PASSED
417–3
Nearly unanimous: 417 to 3. Cleared the 280 needed by 137 votes.
214 DEM1 IND217 REP
YEANAYCROSSEDTAP A SEAT
WHAT WAS DECIDED
What the House was voting on
IN PLAIN WORDS
The House voted on whether to pass H.R. 9340, as amended, under a fast-track procedure requiring two-thirds support. The bill would require state utility regulators and nonregulated utilities to consider a standard making certain very large electricity customers responsible for the full costs of power-system upgrades needed to serve them. It passed by 137 votes more than the 280 needed.
A YES MEANT
Pass H.R. 9340, as amended, in the House under the fast-track procedure requiring two-thirds.
A NO MEANT
Do not pass H.R. 9340 under the fast-track procedure.
THE MEASURE · H.R. 9340
Ratepayer Protection Act
Sets a standard for charging large data and computing customers for grid upgrades built to serve them.
WHERE IT STANDS · WHAT’S NEXT
Passed the House 417–3 on Sept. 16, 2026. Now waiting in the Senate, 118 days after it was introduced.
SEP 30Motion to proceed to consideration of measure made in Senate.
SEP 30Cloture on the motion to proceed to the measure not invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 57–43.
SEP 30Motion to proceed to consideration of measure withdrawn in Senate.
WHY IT NEEDED 2803 VACANT · 432 SEATED
280is two-thirds of the 420 members voting yes or no. Members voting “present” or absent don’t count.
- SUSPENSION
- Suspending the rules lets the House pass a bill fast, with no amendments and 40 minutes of debate, if two-thirds agree.
280 is two-thirds of the 420 members voting yes or no. Members voting “present” or absent don’t count.
- SUSPENSION
- Suspending the rules lets the House pass a bill fast, with no amendments and 40 minutes of debate, if two-thirds agree.
HOW EACH SIDE VOTED
Nearly unanimousNearly unanimous.
BY PARTYYEA–NAY
Democrats3 CROSSED TO NAY
RepublicansNONE CROSSED
IndependentsCAUCUS WITH REPUBLICANS
THE 3 WHO CROSSEDHOW OFTEN THEY VOTE WITH PARTY
Delia C. Ramirez
D-IL-3 · VOTED NAY
100%
Rashida Tlaib
D-MI-12 · VOTED NAY
100%
Summer L. Lee
D-PA-12 · VOTED NAY
100%
BY STATEEACH STATE’S DELEGATION
YEAS, UPPER BARNAYS, LOWER BARA MEMBER CROSSEDYOUR STATE
5TH
Near-unanimous House vote in September
155TH
Suspension vote in the House this Congress
29
House roll calls in September
THE 3 WHO CROSSED
5THNear-unanimous House vote in September
155THSuspension vote in the House this Congress
29House roll calls in September
THE JOURNEY
Every vote on H.R. 9340, in both chambersPassed the House. Stalled in the Senate.
CHAMBER CONTRASTThe House passed it 417–3 on Sept. 16, with both parties mostly voting yes. The Senate failed to end debate on it 57–43 on Sept. 30, 3 short of the 60 needed, with 4 Democrats voting yes.
SEP 30SENATE#254Cloture on the motion to proceedFAILED57–43
SEP 28SENATE—Cloture motion filedFILED
SEP 16HOUSE#312Suspend the rules and passTHIS VOTEPASSED417–3
SEP 10HOUSE—Reported by Energy and CommerceREPORTED52–0
HOUSE · SEP 16
417–3
PASSED · NEEDED 280
Both parties mostly voted yes
SENATE · SEP 30
57–43
FAILED · NEEDED 60
4 Democrats voted yes
IN THE HOUSE · SEP 10 – 16PASSED 417–3
- SEP 10Reported by Energy and CommerceREPORTED52–0
- SEP 16#312THIS VOTESuspend the rules and passPASSED417–3137 votes to spare over the 280 needed.
SENT TO THE SENATE · 12 DAYS LATER
IN THE SENATE · SEP 28 – 30PENDING
- SEP 28Cloture motion filedFILED
- SEP 30#254Cloture on the motion to proceedFAILED57–43
IN THE NEWS · 112 STORIESIN THE NEWS
Coverage of this vote and its bill112 stories from 67 outlets
+ 11 OUTLETS NOT RATED
- USA TodayCENTERExclusive: Jeffries calls AI a 'safety crisis,' backs rigid guardrails
- Washington ExaminerCENTERDemocrats dump $7 million in anti-data center messaging in Ohio in hopes of flipping Senate seat
- NewsweekCENTERHow Data Centers Became the Focus of the 2026 Midterm Elections
- The HillCENTERThune seeks lifeline for 3 embattled Senate GOP incumbents
- Yellowhammer NewsRIGHTReport: Chuck Schumer trying to kill Tuberville-backed bill protecting Alabama families from higher energy costs
- Grand Forks HeraldCENTERFederal government steps in with potential new AI, data center legislation
- Fox NewsRIGHTReporter's Notebook: A guide to the college sports vote and Senate’s Ohio showdown
- PolitifactCENTERJon Husted pushed for data centers and tax incentives in Ohio, as Sherrod Brown ads say
- ArcaMaxCENTERPermitting deal down to the wire as senators look to the exits
- Fox WilmingtonRIGHTAnxiety grows over emerging election issue, but GOP says Washington isn't the answer
- Fox NewsRIGHTAnxiety grows over emerging election issue, but GOP says Washington isn't the answer
- Now GeorgiaMidterms could deliver verdict on data centers
- WFLACENTERFlorida lawmakers warn of AI risks as Congress breaks for midterms early
- BreitbartRIGHTHouse Passes 'Ratepayer Protection Act' 417-3 to Address AI Data Centers, Rashida Tlaib Votes Against It
- PoliticoCENTERHusted will try to clear House-passed data center ratepayer bill
- News On 6CENTERU.S House passes federal ratepayer protection bill
- NewserBill to Make Data Centers Buy Their Own Energy Clears House
- Washington ExaminerCENTERDaily on Energy: Data center bill sponsor responds to leftwing calls for a ban
- ThenationaldeskCENTERSenate's top party leaders point fingers after data center bill fails
- PoliticoCENTERRick Scott's next policy push
- The VindicatorRIGHTNationwide moratorium pitched for data centers
- ArcaMaxCENTERWho would this independent caucus with? 'Everybody'
- NTDGuthrie Warns Against Ceding AI Lead to China; Schumer Pushes Guardrails, Chip Curbs
- American GreatnessHouse Democrats Target Data Center Tax Breaks as Trump Pushes AI Expansion " American Greatness
- AxiosCENTERThune sees role for Congress on AI — Trump does not
- State AffairsDC Wrap: Lawmakers respond to Senate vote on congressional stock trading bill
- Colorado PolsLEFTHick Calls Gabe Evans' Bluff Over Performative "Ratepayer Protection Act"
- Colorado PoliticsCENTEREvans rips Dems for blocking data center bill foes say ‘has no teeth’
- Tampa Free PressCENTERSenate Democrats Block Measures Pushed By Florida Sen. Moody On Stock Trading And Utility Rates
- WashingtonsunCENTERRepublicans Confront a Data Center ‘Shitstorm’ in the Midterms
Lean describes the outlets, not the vote.
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