Ernst to Senate Democrats: Stop Letting Big Tech Pass the Buck
Democrats block bill to protect Iowa families from paying the bill for Big Tech
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) criticized Senate Democrats for blocking the passage of the Ratepayer Protection Act, legislation she cosponsored to help protect Iowa families and small businesses from higher electric bills.
“In Iowa, we believe in a simple rule: you plug in, you pay up,” said Ernst. “We can welcome the jobs and investment data centers bring to our state, but Iowa families shouldn’t be stuck with Big Tech’s power bill. I’m disappointed that Senate Democrats refused to protect hardworking families from Big Tech companies who can afford to pay their own way. Watt’s fair is fair—and passing these costs on to Iowans isn’t.”
The bill would require state utility regulators and nonregulated utilities to consider a standard making qualifying data centers responsible for the full additional cost of power generation, transmission, and distribution upgrades needed to serve them.
Read the bill here.
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