Republican Senator Josh Hawley called for a nationwide pause on new data centers on November 11, 2026, until Congress protects consumers from higher electricity rates. He has not introduced a detailed moratorium bill, so which projects it would cover and how long it would last are unclear. His call does not halt any projects.
The Senate voted 73-25 to advance debate on a separate bipartisan bill that would speed energy-project reviews and require data center operators to cover added grid costs. The Senate has not approved that bill or taken up a federal construction freeze.
