AOC introduces Artificial Intelligence Data Center Moratorium Act, companion to Bernie Sanders’ bill in Senate. Data centers biggest AI flashpoint today.

Jun 26, 2026

AI data centers are now the biggest AI flashpoint.

Public officials who support new data centers do so at their own political peril.

Tuesday’s primaries toppled three Republican politicians who voted to approve Mr. Wonderful Kevin O’Leary’s data center in Utah, including the Senate President Stuart Adams who had been in office since 2009 and had never faced a primary challenge in his tenure. In Maryland, three Republican commissioners (Earl “Buddy” Hance (R), Todd Ireland (R), and Mark C. Cox Sr. (R)) who reportedly opposed a data center moratorium also were about to lose their seats based on unofficial results. Other primaries resulted in similar fates for public officials who supported data centers, according to the Christian Science Monitor.

Striking while the iron is hot, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez introduced the House companion bill to the Artificial Intelligence Data Center Moratorium Act introduced by Senator Berne Sanders earlier this spring.

AOC and Sanders have been a formidable force seeking to pause new data centers nationwide. Given the political backlash against new data centers, they may be able to capitalize on the pent up fervor to stop new data centers for AI.