Washington, D.C. – Today the U.S. Senate passed a procedural cloture vote that advanced the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act (BAAJA), a so-called “permitting reform” bill that would weaken bedrock environmental rules and fast-track the permitting and construction of AI data centers and the polluting fossil fuel infrastructure necessary to support these massive facilities.

In response, JIm Walsh, Policy Director at Food & Water Watch issued the following statement:

“Sadly, the Senate has failed to learn a striking lesson from last week’s midterm elections – that Americans are fed up with unchecked aggression from Big Tech and the out-of-control construction of AI data centers. This bad bill would only encourage and permit greater buildout of data centers and the polluting fracked gas power plants and pipelines required to serve these enormous facilities.

“The Senate still has an opportunity to acknowledge the clear will of the American people and rein in Big Tech’s data center attack. They must start by rejecting this terrible pro-polluter, anti-environment permitting bill. If they fail, the House must teach them what political courage and common sense look like.”