Senate Democrats and Republicans clash over affordability legislation

Senate Democrats and Republicans are blaming each other over efforts to address rising costs as affordability becomes a major issue in the 2026 midterm campaign. Republicans say Democrats are blocking bills aimed at easing pressure on consumers, including a measure on data centers and another tied to stock trading by lawmakers. GOP leaders also say Democrats walked away from a permitting reform deal that could have helped lower costs on energy projects and speed up infrastructure approvals. Democrats argue the Republican proposals are weak or overly political. Some Democrats say the data center bill would not force meaningful change, while others want any legislation to include stronger regulatory provisions before moving forward. Several broader costofliving measures are now expected to wait until after the election.