Senate Democrats Block ‘Toothless’ Stock Trading Ban and Data Center Bill Ahead of Recess

Senate Democrats successfully blocked two Republican-led legislative efforts Wednesday before the chamber heads into a month-long pre-election recess. The measures targeted data center energy costs and congressional stock trading, but faced unified opposition from Democratic lawmakers who labeled the proposals inadequate.

The Senate is expected to vote on the initiatives, which Republicans hope will serve as political wins ahead of the November midterm elections. However, neither bill is anticipated to secure the 60 votes necessary to overcome a filibuster, given the Democratic stance against both measures.

One of the bills, the Ratepayer Protection Act, already passed the House with a nearly unanimous 417-3 vote. The legislation would create a framework allowing states to require large artificial intelligence data centers to pay for their own energy infrastructure rather than shifting those costs to utility customers. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., criticized the proposal as a “toothless messaging bill,” calling it a fraud because its provisions are optional for states.

Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., the top Democrat on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, had previously blocked the bill using a procedural move, echoing concerns about its lack of teeth. Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, had championed the data center legislation, which emerged from discussions at the White House regarding ratepayer protections.

The second bill sought to restrict members of Congress from trading individual stocks while in office. Democrats argued that the proposed ban did not go far enough to prevent insider trading or ensure transparency. The votes come as the Senate faces its last full day of session before the recess, with both parties positioning themselves for the upcoming electoral cycle.