Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley proposed a nationwide moratorium on building new U.S. data centers and made it a party priority for the next six weeks. He has not introduced a standalone moratorium bill or specified which facilities it would cover. A spokesperson said the restrictions should remain until Congress passes guarantees protecting consumers from higher electricity rates.
The proposal differs from a bipartisan Senate bill to speed federal permits for energy projects. The Senate voted 73-25 on Nov. 9, 2026, to advance that bill for consideration; it would also require large data-center operators to cover added costs from strain on the power grid.
