Rushing to Build Ai Data Centers

Floor Speech

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Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, citizens nationwide and across our district are pushing back on AI data centers. They are concerned these facilities demand massive amounts of energy and water, driving up rising regional utility costs even more.

How much more will our citizens be forced to pay for power and water? They have a right to know.

Will our building trades be true partners in economic growth or just temporary labor, while facing higher utility bills at home?

How many permanent jobs will these largely opaque facilities actually provide? Exactly which out-of-town interests will get the profits if these firms succeed?

Residents across our region complain State and local approvals are moving too quickly. In Ohio, the crooked PUCO and Ohio's Legislature have granted giant tax breaks to data centers, while local township officials remain in the dark about details. That is not fair.

Ohioans know what secrecy and inside deals bring. FirstEnergy scandals led to indictments, prison terms, and even suicides. Ohio Statehouse corruption rewards big business and harms the public. The American people deserve to know how AI data centers will affect their communities. Public hearings must be more robust and factual, not merely road shows by proponents.

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