Rep. Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, sent letters Tuesday, Sept.29, to Amazon, Google parent Alphabet, Meta Platforms, and Oracle seeking information on non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) signed with government officials related to data center build-outs, according to copies viewed by The Wall Street Journal.
Raskin wrote that residents cannot weigh a subject's costs against its benefits, hold officials accountable, or safeguard resources when basic terms are kept secret, according to the report. He demanded detailed information on each company's data center portfolio and use of the agreements [7].
Amazon claims it no longer uses NDAs with government collaborators on data center projects, according to the report. Google, Meta, and Oracle did not immediately comment [7].
The letters mark an escalation in congressional scrutiny of an industry that has expanded rapidly across the country. The requests focus specifically on agreements that shield the terms of data center deals from public view [7].
Local and State Officials Cite Secrecy in Opposition
Local communities have cited non-disclosure agreements and secrecy surrounding data center plans as a major reason they oppose the facilities, which many blame for pushing up power prices and consuming large amounts of water [7].
Data centers are being sited across the United States without meaningful public input, a pattern documented in states such as Utah, where the three-member Box Elder County Commission voted unanimously to greenlight a 40,000-acre hyperscale project before residents could weigh in [1].
The backlash has become a measurable force. Local opposition disrupted at least 45 proposed U.S. data center developments worth nearly $68 billion between April and June 2026, according to Data Center Watch, a research project operated by AI intelligence company 10a Labs. The sustained resistance now spans 49 states with 843 active opposition groups, according to the same research.
Data centers have become a flashpoint in key races including Ohio, Michigan, and Texas, where states have taken steps to cut tax exemptions worth billions of dollars. A new Wall Street Journal poll found that 62% of voters support pausing data-center development, according to the report.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro banned the agreements in an executive order in August, and several states have introduced bills to ban data-center NDAs. In Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott ordered the state's environmental watchdog to withhold permits for new data centers until an audit of risks to the power grid is complete, according to ZeroHedge [2].
Industry Says Some Secrecy Is Needed in Negotiations
Industry executives have said they hope to be more transparent moving forward and have committed to paying more for the power needed to run data centers and investing more in local communities [7].
Executives said some secrecy is needed when negotiating with local officials about the facilities to avoid revealing proprietary details that could help competitors and because contractors and other businesses working on the projects often increase prices when they find out a large AI company is working locally, explained executives [7].
The secrecy controversy unfolds as evidence mounts that quiet deal-making has real consequences for ratepayers. Air pollution from data centers could increase healthcare costs by almost $21 billion by 2028, contributing to roughly 600,000 asthma cases and 1,300 premature deaths, according to the Environmental Protection Network, a nonprofit whose members are former public officials [3].
Congress Weighs Limits as Midterm Elections Approach
Raskin, along with Reps. Greg Landsman (D., Ohio) and Tom Barrett (R., Mich.), introduced a bill last week to limit NDAs with government officials related to data-center projects. Barrett has faced criticism from his opponent [7].
Sen. Jon Husted (R., Ohio) has sponsored a bill requiring states to consider taking steps to make tech companies cover the cost of energy infrastructure needed to power the facilities. The House recently passed its version of the bill 417-3, the report stated.
In the Senate, the measure failed in a 57-43 vote after Democrats blocked the bid to overcome the 60-vote filibuster threshold, with all but four Democrats voting against advancing the bill, according to The Epoch Times [4].
Senate Democrats have broadly dismissed the measure, arguing that its voluntary structure for companies is too weak. The questioning is an early indication of what AI companies can expect if Democrats win back power in Congress in November, a prospect that has many in the industry bracing for a wave of demands and hearings.
Others, including a trio that lead a House AI Commission of Democrats, have targeted the sector over recent instances of models hacking other companies, while other concerns include the impact the platforms have on children [7].
The data-center debate has surged across America, from the Birthplace of Rock 'n' Roll to Kansas corn country, turning server farms into one of the defining issues of the midterm elections this fall [5].
The combination of secrecy agreements, rising electricity costs, and organized local opposition has created a political environment in which data center projects face scrutiny from both parties.
In some primaries, candidates who backed the artificial intelligence boom were given the boot by voters who preferred politicians encouraging guardrails or a hard stop before big tech turned country pastures into concrete parks, according to The Epoch Times [6].
As Raskin's letters make clear, the question of who gets to see the terms of these deals is now a matter of congressional interest.
References
- Chase Codewell. "The Real Danger of Utah's Hyperscale Data Center: A Betrayal of Democracy and an Environmental Catastrophe". NaturalNews.com. May 12, 2026.
- ZeroHedge. "Texas Governor Orders Halt To New Data Centers Weeks After Issuing Moratorium". September 22, 2026.
- Robert Freedman. "Data center backup power contributes to health risks: report". UtilityDive. September 28, 2026.
- The Epoch Times. "Senate Democrats Block Republican Data Center Utility Rate Bill". September 30, 2026.
- Jacki Thrapp. "How The Data Center Debate May Shape The Midterms". The Epoch Times via ZeroHedge. September 28, 2026.
- The Epoch Times. "How the Data Center Debate May Shape the Midterms". September 26, 2026.
- WSJ.com. "Tech Giants Face Questions Over Secret AI Data-Center Deals". September 30, 2o26.
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