Floor SpeechUrgent2026-09-30

RATEPAYER PROTECTION ACT

TaxesEnvironmentTechnology

Context

On 2026-09-30, Senator Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) delivered a floor speech titled "RATEPAYER PROTECTION ACT" in the Senate.

Full Text

RATEPAYER PROTECTION ACT

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 155 (Wednesday, September 30, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 155 (Wednesday, September 30, 2026)] [Senate] [Pages S5190-S5191] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] RATEPAYER PROTECTION ACT Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, now on the weak data center bill, the only thing that came out of Trump's big AI summit yesterday was a photo op; no Federal guardrails to protect against catastrophic risk, no signal from Trump that he plans to act. All Trump had to say was ``there should be tremendous self- regulation.'' Relying on self-regulation is how we got into this mess. Americans are calling for real solutions, real guardrails, real solutions on AI. [[Page S5191]] Republicans' toothless data center bill completely misses the mark. Senate Republicans would do nothing to require data center companies to pay for their rising costs in the surrounding communities; Senate Democrats want to make it mandatory for data centers to cover their own costs by law, not by suggestion or hope or whim. This bill doesn't do anything to mandate safety standards for AI. Democrats would require safety standards to protect the American people. A guardrail without teeth isn't a guardrail. The Republicans' legislation doesn't even apply to all data centers. This shoddy bill couldn't get any flimsier. That is because the Republicans really don't want to do it; they don't want to oppose some of the big interests that don't want any regulation. To put it simply: Republicans' data center bill follows Trump's lead in ignoring Americans' pressing concerns about AI while our legislation would actually address them with guardrails that have real teeth. Americans don't want another hollow messaging bill. They don't want to watch Senate Republicans give themselves a pat on their back when they have accomplished nothing. Americans want to see this Republican majority put the country first once and for all. Senate Republicans think even listening to the American people ought to be optional too. I urge my colleagues to join us in taking real action on AI. I urge Republicans to put aside their feeble bill and put Americans over party. ____________________

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RATEPAYER PROTECTION ACT Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 155 (Wednesday, September 30, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 155 (Wednesday, September 30, 2026)] [Senate] [Pages S5190-S5191] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] RATEPAYER PROTECTION ACT Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, now on the weak data center bill, the only thing that came out of Trump's big AI summit yesterday was a photo op; no Federal guardrails to protect against catastrophic risk, no signal from Trump that he plans to act. All Trump had to say was ``there should be tremendous self- regulation.'' Relying on self-regulation is how we got into this mess. Americans are calling for real solutions, real guardrails, real solutions on AI. [[Page S5191]] Republicans' toothless data center bill completely misses the mark. Senate Republicans would do nothing to require data center companies to pay for their rising costs in the surrounding communities; Senate Democrats want to make it mandatory for data centers to cover their own costs by law, not by suggestion or hope or whim. This bill doesn't do anything to mandate safety standards for AI. Democrats would require safety standards to protect the American people. A guardrail without teeth isn't a guardrail. The Republicans' legislation doesn't even apply to all data centers. This shoddy bill couldn't get any flimsier. That is because the Republicans really don't want to do it; they don't want to oppose some of the big interests that don't want any regulation. To put it simply: Republicans' data center bill follows Trump's lead in ignoring Americans' pressing concerns about AI while our legislation would actually address them with guardrails that have real teeth. Americans don't want another hollow messaging bill. They don't want to watch Senate Republicans give themselves a pat on their back when they have accomplished nothing. Americans want to see this Republican majority put the country first once and for all. Senate Republicans think even listening to the American people ought to be optional too. I urge my colleagues to join us in taking real action on AI. I urge Republicans to put aside their feeble bill and put Americans over party. ____________________