Khanna proposes data center bill of rights to empower local communities

Rep. Ro Khanna, a Democratic congressman from California, has introduced a resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives called the Data Center Bill of Rights. The resolution outlines a set of suggested guardrails for the construction and operation of data centers, which have become a contentious issue in many communities across the United States. In an interview on NBC's "Meet the Press" with moderator Kristen Welker, Khanna argued that data centers need to be regulated so that local communities have a larger say in where they are built. He stated, "You can't shove a data center down the throats of a local community without any say that that community has," and also emphasized that data centers should not be allowed to jack up electricity prices. Khanna's resolution would affirm that communities can ban data centers in residential areas, reject increases in electric bills, and require data centers to use clean energy, among other provisions.

The rise of artificial intelligence has led to a surge in data center construction across the country, but these facilities have sparked controversy in local communities due to concerns over water and energy consumption, noise, and air pollution. A March Gallup survey found that 71% of Americans somewhat or strongly opposed local construction of AI data centers. This has made data centers an electoral issue, with candidates at various levels having to address the concerns of their constituents. Khanna, who is considered a progressive and has been mentioned as a potential 2028 presidential contender, did not rule out a future run for the White House. When asked about his potential candidacy and how he differs from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, another progressive who has been floated as a possible candidate, Khanna praised her as "a phenomenal talent" but highlighted his focus on a national economic vision. He described his approach as "economic patriotism" and argued that the Democratic Party needs a new national economic project to ensure every person has a stake in the country. He said, "The Democrats' path back out of the wilderness is to have a clear national economic message."