Floor SpeechUrgent2026-07-21

NO DATA CENTERS

Rashida Tlaib

DMI-12 · Representative

ClimateEnvironmentDefenseHousingTechnology

Context

On 2026-07-21, Representative Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-12) delivered a floor speech titled "NO DATA CENTERS" in the House.

Full Text

NO DATA CENTERS

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 119 (Tuesday, July 21, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 119 (Tuesday, July 21, 2026)] [House] [Pages H4694-H4695] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] NO DATA CENTERS (Ms. Tlaib of Michigan was recognized to address the House for 5 minutes.) Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, Michiganders are clear: No data centers. I am introducing a new bill, the No AI Data Centers on Federal Lands Act. Our bill would permanently ban large data centers on Federal lands, including military bases. It would also remove any existing qualifying AI data center and mandate site remediation to protect our health and our environment. Our Congress needs to act quickly because we all know that the Trump administration is selling our land to Big Tech right now. We know that the Department of Defense has already requested $30 billion to build hyperscale data centers. They want untested software to make life-or- death decisions in our U.S. military. These data centers will be built without Clean Air Act permits. Imagine all of this under the Trump administration's new rule that revokes environmental protections. The administration is also working for Big Tech right now, not us. We should be making it more difficult for the Trump administration to outsource military decisions to the Big Tech companies. We all know they put profit before our lives. We should protect our public lands from data center destruction. Everywhere I go in my district, all throughout Michigan, our residents are telling us data centers are not welcome. AI data centers bring noise, light, air, and water pollution. Already we know they increase energy costs by as much as 267 percent. Think about that. Our residents are choking on smog right now from wildfires. This past weekend, we know neighborhoods surrounding Detroit had the worst air quality in the world, and they want to make the climate change crisis even worse. We already are paying too much for utility bills right now, yet the Pentagon wants to place heavier costs on the shoulders of hardworking Americans by choosing, again, Big Tech instead of us. Our corrupt, AI-addicted President cannot be allowed to sacrifice our Federal lands so that Big Tech billionaires can get richer. I will continue to push back against harmful data centers alongside our residents to protect our public lands, health, and environment. Together, we can safeguard our public lands and also prevent higher utility bills. We can tell this President that AI shouldn't be making military decisions and AI shouldn't trump our public health and our environmental laws. Restoring Fair Credit Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, I am introducing the FAIR Credit Act to restore the credit reports of victims of predatory lending, fraud, and financial abuse. Mr. Speaker, I want you to know that this is not a Republican or Democratic or Independent issue. This is an American issue. The FAIR Credit Act would address inaccuracies in credit reports found by over a third of consumers. These are our residents. Imagine a third of our residents right now are hurt by credit reports that aren't even accurate. This is an economic justice bill. Credit records are riddled with errors that prevent people from obtaining jobs, housing, cars, and loans, loans to help them thrive. Our neighbors are constantly targeted by predatory lenders and scams, especially our senior citizens. For my seniors, my bill would establish the right to free credit monitoring and identity theft protection services. They shouldn't have poor credit because they fell victim to scams. Medical debt should also be prohibited from being on a credit report. It is not their fault they got sick. It shouldn't bring them down and be able to put them in survivor mode because they got sick and couldn't afford the health costs. Oftentimes, we know that patients need lifesaving medical procedures and aren't even aware of the cost in advance. Adverse credit reports should not drag people down when they are already drowning in medical debt. People who have survived domestic and financial abuse also shouldn't have negative information on their credit reports that they are not even responsible for. Instead, our bill offers a pathway for them to remove negative information so they can start a healthy financial life. The FAIR Credit Act removes negative information after 4 years, down from 7 years, because we know economists and others have said 7 years is not even a good indicator. [[Page H4695]] Our neighbors across the country should not be denied economic opportunities that we know will get them out of survivor mode and help them be able to thrive. A lot of this is because we have a flawed credit report process in our country. Our residents deserve the FAIR Credit Act. Our residents deserve these changes. This one should be an easy one for many of my colleagues here in this Chamber. ____________________

View original source →

NO DATA CENTERS Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 119 (Tuesday, July 21, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 119 (Tuesday, July 21, 2026)] [House] [Pages H4694-H4695] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] NO DATA CENTERS (Ms. Tlaib of Michigan was recognized to address the House for 5 minutes.) Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, Michiganders are clear: No data centers. I am introducing a new bill, the No AI Data Centers on Federal Lands Act. Our bill would permanently ban large data centers on Federal lands, including military bases. It would also remove any existing qualifying AI data center and mandate site remediation to protect our health and our environment. Our Congress needs to act quickly because we all know that the Trump administration is selling our land to Big Tech right now. We know that the Department of Defense has already requested $30 billion to build hyperscale data centers. They want untested software to make life-or- death decisions in our U.S. military. These data centers will be built without Clean Air Act permits. Imagine all of this under the Trump administration's new rule that revokes environmental protections. The administration is also working for Big Tech right now, not us. We should be making it more difficult for the Trump administration to outsource military decisions to the Big Tech companies. We all know they put profit before our lives. We should protect our public lands from data center destruction. Everywhere I go in my district, all throughout Michigan, our residents are telling us data centers are not welcome. AI data centers bring noise, light, air, and water pollution. Already we know they increase energy costs by as much as 267 percent. Think about that. Our residents are choking on smog right now from wildfires. This past weekend, we know neighborhoods surrounding Detroit had the worst air quality in the world, and they want to make the climate change crisis even worse. We already are paying too much for utility bills right now, yet the Pentagon wants to place heavier costs on the shoulders of hardworking Americans by choosing, again, Big Tech instead of us. Our corrupt, AI-addicted President cannot be allowed to sacrifice our Federal lands so that Big Tech billionaires can get richer. I will continue to push back against harmful data centers alongside our residents to protect our public lands, health, and environment. Together, we can safeguard our public lands and also prevent higher utility bills. We can tell this President that AI shouldn't be making military decisions and AI shouldn't trump our public health and our environmental laws. Restoring Fair Credit Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, I am introducing the FAIR Credit Act to restore the credit reports of victims of predatory lending, fraud, and financial abuse. Mr. Speaker, I want you to know that this is not a Republican or Democratic or Independent issue. This is an American issue. The FAIR Credit Act would address inaccuracies in credit reports found by over a third of consumers. These are our residents. Imagine a third of our residents right now are hurt by credit reports that aren't even accurate. This is an economic justice bill. Credit records are riddled with errors that prevent people from obtaining jobs, housing, cars, and loans, loans to help them thrive. Our neighbors are constantly targeted by predatory lenders and scams, especially our senior citizens. For my seniors, my bill would establish the right to free credit monitoring and identity theft protection services. They shouldn't have poor credit because they fell victim to scams. Medical debt should also be prohibited from being on a credit report. It is not their fault they got sick. It shouldn't bring them down and be able to put them in survivor mode because they got sick and couldn't afford the health costs. Oftentimes, we know that patients need lifesaving medical procedures and aren't even aware of the cost in advance. Adverse credit reports should not drag people down when they are already drowning in medical debt. People who have survived domestic and financial abuse also shouldn't have negative information on their credit reports that they are not even responsible for. Instead, our bill offers a pathway for them to remove negative information so they can start a healthy financial life. The FAIR Credit Act removes negative information after 4 years, down from 7 years, because we know economists and others have said 7 years is not even a good indicator. [[Page H4695]] Our neighbors across the country should not be denied economic opportunities that we know will get them out of survivor mode and help them be able to thrive. A lot of this is because we have a flawed credit report process in our country. Our residents deserve the FAIR Credit Act. Our residents deserve these changes. This one should be an easy one for many of my colleagues here in this Chamber. ____________________