YourVoice.Now Summary
EnvironmentTransparency & AccountabilityFederal scientists would set standard ways to measure how much power and water data centers and AI use
Environment
NIST would test and write best practices for measuring the power and water that data centers use, including for AI. They are guides only; no data center would have to follow them.
Transparency & Accountability
NIST and the Energy Department would push for data center power and water numbers to be shared openly with states, researchers, and businesses where practical. The bill does not make anyone hand over data.
More about this bill
Most people would not notice a change right away. Federal scientists would work out better ways to measure how much power and water data centers use. Data centers are the big buildings full of computers that run websites, apps, and AI tools. The work would cover the power used to build and run AI models. It would also find gaps in the data we have today. The goal is to help experts predict how much power and water these sites will need. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) would run the program with the Energy Department. It would test ways to measure, then write best practices and shared ways to report the numbers. These are guides, not rules. Data centers would not be required to report anything. NIST would encourage open sharing of the data with states, schools, and businesses. It would also work with other countries on shared standards. NIST would brief Congress one year and two years after the law passes. Congress could spend up to $10 million a year from 2027 through 2029.
Congressional Summary
Data Infrastructure Energy Measurement and Standards Act This bill requires the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to carry out a program to inform the development of best practices, technical standards, and other resources for measuring workloads and energy and water use of data centers, including measurements relating to training and processing of artificial intelligence models. Specifically, NIST must develop or identify best practices and other resources for such measurements, taking into account specified factors such as workload type and system configuration; conduct research and testing to improve the accuracy, timeliness, and reliability of such measurements; study data needs for energy and water demand forecasting and other research; and support the development of standardized metrics and data sharing mechanisms to promote improved energy and water demand forecasting. Further, NIST must coordinate with the Department of Energy to ensure applicable metrics and data are managed and archived appropriately and promote open exchange of metrics and data as appropriate. NIST must also coordinate with international partners to maintain global data center energy measurement standards. Finally, NIST must periodically brief Congress on the program.
Legislative Subjects
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- House
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Introduced in House
- Action Date
- 2026-06-18
- Date Added
- 2026-09-30
- Source
- Congress.gov →
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