Original cosponsor
Original cosponsor of S. 3682
Bill: Power for the People Act of 2026
Accountability record
Where Richard J. Durbin stands on AI data centers and local power bills
A plain-language answer to where they stand, what they have done, and exactly which public records support it.
Richard J. Durbin
IL · U.S. Senate
Where they stand
Position confirmedSupports requiring transparency about AI data center power use and utility deals.
Position details
Require transparency about AI data center power use and utility deals
SupportsBacked by 2 source receipts.
Full record
The record — everything we found, newest first
- Sponsored
Sponsored S. 4213
Bill: Data Center Water and Energy Transparency Act of 2026
- What they’ve said· www.durbin.senate.gov
Official press release
Source-verified words from the named official.
“If you’ve noticed a sharp increase in your utility bills lately, it may be from the growth of energy-hungry data centers. Illinoisans deserve an honest analysis of the electricity and water needs of these data centers as they crop up around the country.”households, and many proposed data centers are more than 10 times the size of a 100-megawatt center. There are approximately 4,000 active data centers in the U.S. with roughly 3,000 more planned or under construction. Rural counties, where water and power must be carefully managed, are increasingly targeted for data center development. Community residents, local stakeholders, and state and local leaders should have access to accurate information about the energy and water needs of a data center to determine whether it is right for their community. Data center developers owe it to the communities they are building in to provide a fully transparent accounting of their energy and water needs. "If you've noticed a sharp increase in your utility bills lately, it may be from the growth of energy-hungry data centers. Illinoisans deserve an honest analysis of the electricity and water needs of t
- What they’ve said· www.durbin.senate.gov
Official press release
Source-verified words from the named official.
“Our technologies are evolving, and the demands on our energy sector are evolving with them. Today, I spoke with IMEA/IMUA members about how our state can expect the energy sector to be impacted by incoming data centers, as well as how we can prioritize transparency related to the expected power and water usage associated with these centers.”
Updated Jul 22, 2026