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WASHINGTON – The Senate voted 73-25 Monday to advance an energy and infrastructure permitting bill, opening debate on changes that would affect power plants, transmission lines, pipelines and the electricity costs of data centers. The vote was a procedural step, not final passage, and the bill is not law.
The Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act still needs a final Senate vote and approval by the House before it can go to the president. Monday’s result moves the package into further debate and votes; it does not immediately change the rules for developers or utilities.
The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee confirmed the 73-25 vote after Chairman Shelley Moore Capito outlined the legislation on the Senate floor.
The package would change the federal environmental review and permitting framework under laws including the National Environmental Policy Act, Clean Water Act and Endangered Species Act. It also includes changes involving the Federal Power Act and National Historic Preservation Act.
For businesses planning a factory, an energy project or an expansion that needs new electricity supply, the issue is how long approval takes and how predictable that approval remains. The bill’s sponsors say their changes would reduce delays and give projects more certainty, including protection for existing permits when projects remain in compliance with the law.
The package also includes the Ratepayer Protection Act. Capito described that provision as requiring prospective data centers to pay their own way rather than shifting higher costs onto other utility customers. That places the cost of expanding power infrastructure alongside the debate over how quickly new infrastructure can be approved.
For data-center developers and the utilities serving them, both questions matter: when new generation and transmission can be built, and who pays for the grid capacity needed to support it. Monday’s procedural vote settles neither question for individual projects.
The proposal covers both conventional and renewable energy. Capito listed coal mines, gas pipelines, wind, solar and manufacturing among the projects the bill is intended to help. She said the package was developed with Senators Sheldon Whitehouse, Mike Lee and Martin Heinrich.
Environmental and tribal groups have raised concerns that the changes would weaken safeguards and consultation requirements. Supporters argue that shorter, more predictable reviews would help build needed energy and infrastructure. Those competing concerns remain part of the debate as senators consider amendments.
President Donald Trump urged senators to pass the package Sunday, including its requirement that data centers cover their own power costs. Monday’s vote is the next legislative step, not fulfillment of that request.
The committee release cited economic-output and household-savings forecasts from supporters of the legislation. Those are estimates of possible benefits, not results delivered by Monday’s vote. The final language, Senate outcome and House response remain unresolved.
JBizNews Desk | Washington
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