Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) rejected House Speaker Mike Johnson’s claim that opposition to AI data centers is being driven by a Chinese psychological operation. Sanders said 75% of Americans, including a majority of Republicans, have legitimate concerns about higher electricity bills, environmental damage and threats to humanity from rapid AI infrastructure expansion. Johnson made the claim during a Fox News interview, where he also accused Democrats of using negative messaging ahead of elections. The dispute comes as lawmakers scrutinize the effect of AI data centers on power demand, water use and local communities. Bill Gates warned that governments might need to experience a major AI-related problem, such as a cyberattack, before taking the technology’s risks more seriously. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) called the Republican-backed Ratepayer Protection Act optional and toothless, although the House passed it 417-3. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) separately warned that nearby communities faced higher utility costs, strained water resources and environmental concerns. Meanwhile, House Republicans Jason Smith (R-MO) and John Moolenaar (R-Mich.) asked Treasury and IRS officials to investigate whether China-linked funding supported U.S. groups opposing AI data centers, while acknowledging that concerns over electricity and water use could be legitimate. The lawmakers did not establish that all opposition was connected to China.