US SB4214: Artificial Intelligence Data Center Moratorium Act

In one paragraph

The federal S 4214 (Artificial Intelligence Data Center Moratorium Act) would bar construction or upgrading of AI data centers from enactment until laws are enacted requiring federal pre-release review of AI products, protecting workers, and setting conditions for new centers. It would also require export limits on computing hardware. Read twice and referred to the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee March 25, 2026; it has not passed either house.

Plain-English summary, written with AI assistance. The official text controls.

What it means for business

If enacted, AI data center developers and operators could not start or continue construction or upgrades until the required laws pass, and the Energy Department could compel their data by subpoena or inspection; hardware exporters would face limits.

Key provisions

1. 1From enactment, construction or upgrading of new or existing AI data centers could not commence or proceed until one or more laws are enacted that meet the bill's conditions and expressly end the moratorium (Sec. 3(b))
2. 2Required laws: federal review and approval of AI products before release; AI gains benefiting workers, including policies to prevent job displacement
3. 3For centers built or upgraded afterward: no higher consumer utility bills, no added climate or environmental harm, community approval of construction, no government subsidy, and union jobs with prevailing wages
4. 4AI data center includes sites used to develop or operate AI models at scale, or with over 20 megawatts of power capacity and high-density power or liquid cooling (Sec. 3(a))
5. 5Secretary of Energy would give Congress quarterly public reports on each AI data center (finances, water and energy use, emissions, jobs) and could use subpoenas and inspections
6. 6Secretary of Commerce would have to prohibit exports of computing hardware for AI data centers or large-scale AI use to countries without comparable laws (Sec. 4)
7. 7Introduced March 25, 2026 by Sen. Sanders; referred to the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee

Latest legislative action

Mar 25, 2026. Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.