The Senate failed to fast-track the bipartisan Ratepayer Protection Act after Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico objected to Sen. Jon Husted of Ohio's request for unanimous consent. The House approved the measure 417-3 on Wednesday. The bill would require states to hold proceedings on standards requiring large-load electricity customers, including data centers, to cover the incremental generation, transmission and distribution costs associated with their operations. It would not require states to adopt those standards or compel technology companies to pay. Heinrich said the proposal amounted to asking states to consider voluntary action rather than imposing enforceable requirements. He then sought unanimous passage of his GRID Savings Act, which would require large-load customers to pay for facilities needed to connect them to the grid. Sen. Bernie Moreno of Ohio objected to that effort, accusing Democrats of blocking a measure that could address rising electricity costs. The House bill would amend the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978, or PURPA, and applies to customers using at least 100 megawatts. Heinrich's alternative would give the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission mandatory authority over cost responsibility for users exceeding 150 megawatts. The dispute comes as artificial-intelligence data centers drive concern about grid investment, household affordability and the allocation of infrastructure costs.