Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (D-Va.) called for new limits on data center construction during an appearance Thursday on NewsNation’s “The Hill.” The congressman stated that while the U.S. requires data storage to develop emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), facilities should not be placed in communities that do not want them. Subramanyam represent a district in Loudoun County, Virginia, which is home to one of the world's highest concentrations of data centers.
The representative stated that current policies could negatively affect the U.S. technological competition with China. He specifically cited public opposition and rising costs as primary hurdles. According to Subramanyam, many residents are seeing their utility bills "double and triple" to pay for the infrastructure required by these facilities. He argued that if communities are forced to bear these costs, the resulting backlash will prevent the U.S. from building the infrastructure necessary to compete globally.
Subramanyam noted that approximately 70 percent of Americans do not want data centers in their communities. His district in Loudoun and Fairfax counties currently handles more than half of the world’s internet traffic through hundreds of facilities. This local concentration has made data center construction a central topic in various political races, as candidates balance technological growth against resident concerns regarding energy prices and land use.
For residents and small-business owners, the impact is felt through both rising monthly expenses and local zoning disputes. The congressman’s cited figure of 70 percent public opposition suggests a broad nationwide tension between residential preferences and the physical requirements of AI development. This shift in public sentiment has already influenced gubernatorial and local political races, potentially setting a precedent for how federal and state officials regulate land use for high-tech infrastructure.
What happens next depends on whether federal or state lawmakers adopt what Subramanyam called "sensible policies," such as shifting infrastructure costs away from local communities. While no specific legislation was named, other lawmakers, such as Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.), have separately proposed a one-year pause on data center construction. The U.S. and China continue to compete for leadership in the AI sector, a race Subramanyam said will be "lost" if current construction and funding models are not altered. No specific vote dates or effective deadlines were reported.