Rep. Ro Khanna calls for ‘Data Center Bill of Rights’ and says the industry needs regulation

The California congressman also laid out how he believes he differs from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, as both progressives are floated as potential presidential candidates.

Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., called for a “Data Center Bill of Rights,” arguing in an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that data centers needed to be regulated so local communities have a larger say on where to build them.

Earlier this month, Khanna introduced a Data Center Bill of Rights resolution laying out a series of suggested guardrails on data centers, which have become a prominent issue in elections across the country.

Asked by moderator Kristen Welker whether the U.S. could lead the world in artificial intelligence if it opposes data center infrastructure, Khanna argued that “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 lawmakers hold a rally in support of legislation that would put a moratorium on new data centers in New York.Will Waldron / Albany Times Union via Getty Images file“You can’t be jacking up electricity prices,” he said. “Even the technology leaders understand that there needs to be a pause so that we can get this right.”

Asked to clarify that he was not opposed to data centers but believes they need to be regulated, Khanna said, “I believe it needs regulation.”