Rep. Ro Khanna, a Democrat from California, advocates for a ‘Data Center Bill of Rights.’ During an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” he emphasized the need for regulating data centers. Khanna believes local communities should have significant input on where these centers are built.

Earlier in the month, Khanna introduced a resolution outlining proposed regulations for data centers, which have become a focal point in national elections. In the interview, moderator Kristen Welker asked if opposing data center infrastructure could hinder U.S. leadership in artificial intelligence. Khanna responded, “You can’t shove a data center down the throats of a local community without any say that that community has.”

Environmental advocates and progressive legislators recently rallied in favor of legislation to halt new data center developments in New York. Khanna noted, “You can’t be jacking up electricity prices.” He asserted the importance of pausing to ensure data center development aligns with community and environmental needs, acknowledging that even technology leaders agree on the necessity of this pause.

When asked for clarity on his stance, Khanna confirmed he does not oppose data centers but insists on regulation. “I believe it needs regulation,” he stated. He introduced the Data Center Bill of Rights to ensure such centers are not sited in residential neighborhoods or agricultural lands, giving local communities authority over their establishment.

Khanna’s resolution proposes that communities have the power to prohibit data centers in residential zones, reject hikes in electrical costs, and demand the use of clean energy by data centers. The emergence of data centers across the U.S. supports artificial intelligence growth but has sparked controversy. Local residents express concerns about their consumption of water and energy, as well as noise and pollution. As a result, data centers have become a significant issue in elections.

A Gallup survey from March revealed that 71% of Americans somewhat or strongly oppose local AI data center construction.