Senate Democrats reject stock trading ban and data center bill

Senate Democrats voted down two Republicanbacked bills on Wednesday, one aimed at limiting congressional stock trading and another designed to address rising utility costs tied to data center growth. The data center proposal, known as the Ratepayer Protection Act, failed 5743. It would have created a framework for states to require large AI data centers to cover their own energy costs instead of shifting them to consumers. Democrats said the measure was too weak and optional. A separate bill, the Stop Insider Trading Act, also failed. It would have barred sitting members of Congress from buying individual stocks, but it did not require lawmakers to divest existing holdings. Democrats criticized the bill as incomplete, and some objected to the voter ID provision Republicans attached to it. Republicans are expected to use the votes as a campaign issue ahead of the November midterm elections.