Tag Archives for AARP

SSA Trustees Report Calls on Congress to Fix Social Security and Medicare

Published in RINewsToday on June 22, 2026

Congress faces the urgent legislative task of ensuring the long-term viability of the nation’s Social Security program. As in previous years, the Social Security Board of Trustees’ 2026 report warns that without congressional action, the OASI and DI Trust Funds will pay full benefits only through 2034. Afterward, payroll tax revenue will cover about 83% of scheduled benefits, highlighting the need for timely Congressional intervention.

Federal law requires that trust fund-financed programs such as Social Security and Medicare pay out only as much in benefits as they receive in revenues once their trust fund reserves run out.

According to the Social Security Administration (SSA), about 21% to 22% of the U.S. population currently receives Social Security benefits. The released Trustee’s report notes that at the end of 2025, Social Security paid benefits to more than 70 million Americans: 56 million retired workers and their dependents, 8 million disabled workers and their families, and 6 million survivors of deceased workers. Medicare covered an estimated 69.3 million people.

The Trustees also said that recent congressional actions, including the Social Security Fairness Act and changes to the taxation of Social Security benefits, weakened the program’s long-term financial outlook.

The Social Security Board of Trustees is the group that issues the annual report on the financial health of Social Security’s trust funds — the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance fund and the Disability Insurance fund.

It has six seats:

1.    Secretary of the Treasury — also the Managing Trustee

2.    Secretary of Labor

3.    Secretary of Health and Human Services

4.    Commissioner of Social Security

5.    Public Trustee appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate

6.    Public Trustee appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate

As of the 2026 Trustees Report, the current government-position trustees are:

·         Scott Bessent, Secretary of the Treasury and Managing Trustee

·         Keith E. Sonderling, Acting Secretary of Labor

·         Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of Health and Human Services

·         Frank J. Bisignano, Commissioner of Social Security

The two public trustee seats are currently vacant

Demographic Changes Strain Social Security Finances

The annual Trustees Report, released on June 9, said several long-term demographic trends strain the financial stability of Social Security, as fewer workers pay payroll taxes into the program to support a growing population of beneficiaries.

Americans live longer and collect benefits for more years, while millions of Baby Boomers continue to retire. Birthrates stay below historical levels, so fewer workers enter the labor force.  Lower levels of immigration increase financial pressure by reducing the number of workers who pay payroll taxes.

The combined Social Security trust funds are currently projected to pay full benefits through 2034. However, the outlook for the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) Trust Fund has weakened slightly. Trustees project OASI reserves will be depleted in late 2032. At that point, revenues are expected to cover only about 78% of scheduled OASI benefits, compared to the overall 83% coverage for all Social Security benefits after combined depletion.

The Trustees Report also notes that Social Security’s disability program remains financially stable. The Disability Insurance (DI) Trust Fund is expected to stay adequately financed throughout the 75-year projection period and pay full benefits without interruption.

Taking a Look at Medicare

Also released on June 9, the 2026 Medicare Trustees Report found that Medicare remains financially stable in the near term but faces significant long-term funding shortfalls caused by rising health care costs and an aging population.

According to the Trustees, Medicare spending will grow faster than revenues dedicated to financing the program. The health care needs of retiring Baby Boomers, growing Medicare enrollment, rising medical costs, and increased spending for services used frequently by older adults—including skilled nursing care, home health care, and hospice services—largely drive this increase.

The Medicare Hospital Insurance (HI) Trust Fund, which pays for Medicare Part A services, is projected to be depleted in the second quarter of 2033—three months earlier than last year’s prediction. After depletion, Medicare Part A would be able to cover about 89% of its costs from incoming revenue. Part A covers inpatient hospital stays, skilled nursing facility services, home health care, and hospice care.

Congress must act within the next seven years to prevent significant reductions in Medicare payments to providers. Addressing the projected shortfall before the 2033 trust fund depletion is essential to avoid an estimated 11% funding gap.

Unlike Part A, Medicare Parts B and D are not expected to face trust fund insolvency because they are financed through a combination of beneficiary premiums and general federal revenues.

Max Richtman, President & CEO of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare (NCPSSM), says a range of proposals could help extend the solvency of Medicare’s Hospital Insurance (HI) Trust Fund without reducing benefits.

Among the options, says Richtman, are raising the Medicare tax rate on earned and investment income above $400,000 from 3.8% to 5%, and closing loopholes that allow some high-income business owners to avoid Medicare taxes by structuring income in ways that escape both payroll taxes and the Net Investment Income Tax (NIIT). NCPSSM also supports redirecting revenue from the 3.8% NIIT—currently deposited into general federal revenues—directly to the HI Trust Fund, he says, noting that the group estimates this change could generate roughly $500 billion over 10 years.

In addition, Richtman recommends building on the prescription drug reforms in the Inflation Reduction Act by expanding Medicare’s ability to negotiate drug prices, accelerating negotiations as more medications are added, and extending inflation-rebate requirements to commercial insurance plans. Savings from these measures, he says, would be credited directly to the HI Trust Fund, further strengthening Medicare’s long-term outlook.

Reactions From Advocacy Groups and Lawmakers

In a statement, AARP CEO Dr. Myechia Minter-Jordan warned that the 2026 projections show Congress still must close a financing gap of nearly 20%, or Americans could face benefit reductions they cannot afford.

“This should be a wake-up call: Congress needs to act. Americans have worked hard and paid into Social Security their entire lives, and they deserve to count on it when they retire,” she said. “They planned for retirement, followed the rules, and now Congress must keep its promise by strengthening, not cutting, Social Security,” Minter-Jordan added, urging lawmakers to work across party lines to strengthen the program.

“The Social Security Trustees Report is a clarion call for Congress to strengthen the program now before the looming depletion of the trust fund becomes a full-blown crisis,” said NCPSSM’s Richtman in a released statement.

“If Congress fails to act, the combined retirement and disability trust fund reserves will run dry in 2034, and beneficiaries will suffer an automatic 17% cut—a scenario few want to see happen. Lawmakers should not wait until the last minute when options become more limited and remedies more costly,” he said.

Richtman also argued that benefit reductions are not necessary to restore Social Security’s financial health and that beneficiaries living on fixed incomes should not bear the burden of strengthening the program.

In a statement, Nancy Altman, president of Social Security Works, likewise emphasized that the Trustees Report demonstrates the consequences of inaction.

“As the Trustees Report plainly states, if there is insufficient revenue, Social Security benefits will be automatically cut,” Altman said.

On June 15, 2026, House Speaker Mike Johnson said during a Louisiana radio interview that Republicans would like to address the growth of mandatory federal spending programs in future budget discussions, including Social Security. He argued that the federal budget is increasingly driven by automatic spending commitments and said that Social Security and other entitlement programs “have to be adjusted and fixed.”

Responding to Johnson’s remarks, Altman argued that some Republican proposals would move Social Security toward privatization, a characterization that supporters of those proposals dispute. She also criticized proposals that would reduce future benefits rather than increase revenues to strengthen the program.

Public opinion surveys consistently show strong bipartisan support for preserving Social Security benefits. Altman argued that proposals to reduce benefits through means testing or other changes would be unpopular with voters and called on congressional candidates to explain how they would address the program’s long-term financing challenges.

During a June 10 morning hearing of the Joint Social Security and Work & Welfare Subcommittee with Social Security Commissioner Frank Bisignano, held in room 1100 at 100 Longworth House Office Building, Rep. Jason Smith (R-MO) noted that Social Security benefits have only been modified twice in 40 years, most recently in 1983, with only minor changes under his chairmanship of the House Committee on Ways and Means in 2025.

“Congress needs to get its act together to address Social Security and the insolvency that’s coming instead of poking blame at other people when it is our duty, our responsibility,” Smith said, urging bipartisan cooperation between Republicans and Democrats to reform the program. He called for the protection of vulnerable populations who depend entirely on Social Security for retirement and a dignified standard of living, particularly in the rural communities they represent.

“This latest report from the trustees is proof that Congress must step up now to protect Social Security before it’s too late. It’s only going to cost more and be more difficult to solve the longer we wait,” said Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) in a statement issued on June 10, outlining his plan to rescue Social Security by creating a sovereign wealth fund independent of the Social Security Trust Fund.

Cassidy joined Sens. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), and Tim Kaine (D-Va.) in issuing a bipartisan statement following the release of the Trustees Report. The senators said that “Congress shouldn’t delay any longer” and urged lawmakers to begin debating and voting on proposals to strengthen Social Security’s long-term solvency.

Putting Social Security on the Ballot

The Trustees’ Report makes it very clear that Social Security and Medicare are not facing an immediate financial crisis. Both programs will continue paying benefits for years to come. However, these reports also warn Congress that delaying action will make the eventual policy solutions more difficult to achieve and potentially more disruptive.

Many Republican proposals focus on slowing future benefit growth through measures such as raising the retirement age, modifying cost-of-living adjustments, or expanding means testing, while many Democrats favor increasing revenues by requiring higher-income Americans to contribute more into the system.

Over a year ago, lawmakers introduced a major bill to rescue Social Security and Medicare. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) introduced the Medicare and Social Security Fair Share Act (S. 1690) to ensure both programs remain stable in the future. The plan raises money by closing tax loopholes for ultra-wealthy Americans, but it completely shields anyone making under $400,000 a year from paying higher taxes. Representative Brendan F. Boyle (D-PA) brought the exact same bill to the House floor at the same time.

Legislative proposals, such as Whitehouse’s, to adjust the taxable wage cap or apply payroll taxes to certain forms of investment income have also been offered as ways to ensure Social Security’s fiscal solvency.

A new voter education campaign is highlighting the financial challenges facing Social Security. Led by NCPSSM’s Richtman, the “Social Security is on the Ballot” initiative aims to build public support for legislative solutions, including Sen. Whitehouse and Rep. Boyle’s proposed Fair Share Act, to help secure funding for the program.

There are many issues competing for voters’ attention this year,” explains Richtman, “But few will have such a profound effect on your future. Voters should insist [at the ballot box] that the fundamental promise of Social Security be preserved – as the program is strengthened for the future,” he said.

This multi-faceted campaign will encompass social media, short web videos, special editions of our “You Earned This” podcast and radio show, mailings, and grass-roots engagement/activism.

For over 70 million older Americans who rely on their Social Security and Medicare benefits, the Trustees’ Reports deliver a very clear message: Congress must act sooner rather than kicking the proverbial can down the road (as it usually has). As the projected trust fund depletion dates draw closer, lawmakers will need to work across the aisle to strengthen these programs and ensure they remain financially sound for current beneficiaries and future generations.

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For a copy of the 2026 Social Security Trustees Report, go to The 2026 OASDI Trustees Report

For a copy of the 2026 Medicare Trustees Report, go to 2026 Medicare Trustees Report

The Rhode Island Congressman Who Changed Aging in America

 Published in RINewsToday on June 1, 2026

Over three weeks ago, the Senior Agenda Coalition of Rhode Island (SACRI) organized a statewide gathering at the historic Rhode Island State House to observe this year’s Older Americans Month (OAM). The event brought together more than 135 attendees, including seniors, aging advocates, legislators, and state officials, filling the room to capacity.

During the 74-minute program, speakers addressed topics such as combating social isolation, increasing federal funding for community-based aging services, alerting attendees to financial scams targeting seniors, and discussing new models for elder care and housing. The event concluded with a reading of a gubernatorial proclamation honoring the Older Americans Act (OAA) and calling on Rhode Island lawmakers to support policies for the growing older adult community.

The event also focused on promoting the Administration for Community Living (ACL), the federal agency that administers the OAA, and this year’s OAM theme: “Champion Your Health.” This theme encourages prevention, wellness, self-advocacy, and personal responsibility as key elements of healthy aging.

At the event, SACRI Executive Director Carol Anne Costa announced that the Rhode Island State House Dome would be illuminated from May 13–16 as a tribute to Older Americans Month.

Beyond marking the month, this year’s celebration also centered on the legacy of former Rep. John E. Fogarty (D-RI), the primary sponsor of the legislation (Public Law 89-73) that established the Older Americans Act (OAA). He lived on a small family farm in the village of Harmony (part of Gloucester), Rhode Island.

A Rhode Island Congressman’s Legacy Recognized

Affectionately nicknamed “Mr. Public Health,” Fogarty became one of the most powerful House lawmakers. He served in Congress from 1941 until his death in 1967. A former bricklayer and president of Bricklayers Union No. 1 of Rhode Island, he chaired the powerful House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health, Education, and Welfare. He used his legislative skills to expand the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and transform federal healthcare funding. He was also instrumental in establishing the White House Conference on Aging and the OAA.

At SACRI’s May 6 event, Lt. Governor Sabina Matos praised Fogarty for his major impact on federal aging policy. “Older Americans Month gives us the opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to older adult Rhode Islanders. It is a true honor to join SACRI in celebrating the enduring legacy of Congressman John Fogarty, whose vision helped shape aging policy for generations. Today, we build on that legacy by continuing to champion the dignity, well-being, and contributions of every older Rhode Islander,” says the Lt. Governor.

SACRI’s Costa stated, “Congressman Fogarty has left a legacy on which so much progress has flowed. His quiet and powerful work is a reminder that RI is a leader in empowering older adults.”

Former Lt. Gov. Charles Fogarty came to share personal memories of Fogarty, his uncle. He stressed that his uncle’s work on the OAA was driven by a simple philosophy: the government’s role was to help people. His success was built on personal connections with constituents in Rhode Island’s 2nd Congressional District.

“As Rhode Island’s population ages rapidly, my late uncle, Rep. John E. Fogarty, remains a powerful example of how we can protect the dignity and independence of older Rhode Islanders. The Older Americans Act, which he championed, continues to support vital programs for seniors across Rhode Island and the nation, says the former Lt. Gov.

Fogarty, a former Director of the Division of Elderly Affairs within the Department of Human Services from 2015 to 2018, added, “The Congressman’s legacy shaped my own work as Director of the Division of Elderly Affairs, now the Office of Healthy Aging. “I have focused on advancing efforts to empower and serve older adults,” he says.

Seven years before the 1965 Older Americans Act (OAA), Fogarty introduced legislation (H.R. 9822) to create the White House Conference on Aging. President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the bill into law (Public Law 85-908) on September 2, 1958. The law established a national forum held every 10 years to address the challenges facing older Americans. The forum also developed policy recommendations to improve their economic security.

According to the Administration for Community Living (ACL), the 1961 White House Conference on Aging (WHCoA) exposed a broken, patchwork system of elder care. It served as the blueprint for the 1965 Older Americans Act. The conference pushed Congress to move away from old “welfare” models and build a community-focused support network for all older adults. In the end, this paved the way for the creation of the Administration on Aging.

Two Times is the Charm

“According to an online article, “AARP Fights for Older Americans Act in 1965,” published on  Sept. 28, 2024, on AARP’s website, the organization played a key role in pushing for the passage of Fogarty’s OAA legislative proposal.  Building support for the Congressional passage of the OAA became AARP’s key legislative priority from 1961 to 1965, as noted.  In that article, Ernest Gidding, AARP’s legislative representative, said, “The bill meets the major organizational recommendations of the WHCoA and overcomes the present welfare stigma of aging.”

However, Fogarty and Sen. Patrick V. McNamara (D-MI) failed to pass their initial OAA proposal in both chambers on the first try.  Lawmakers had begun efforts to pass their legislative proposals (H.R. 7957/S. 2000) in 1963. While this initial attempt stalled and the legislative proposal died in session, it got the whole country talking about how we treat older Americans, planting the seeds for a major comeback.

Two years later, Fogarty would try again. This time, the bill gained unstoppable momentum. During the 89th Congress, logs show the proposal cleared the House Committee on Education and Labor on March 9, 1965, and passed the House on March 31 by an overwhelming 395-to-1 vote. After the Senate passed it on May 27 and the House accepted a minor Senate amendment on July 6, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed Public Law 89-73 on July 14, 1965, in the White House Rose Garden, permanently changing how the nation funds and delivers support to older Americans.

“The OAA is to my mind one of the most significant laws ever passed by Congress,” said William C. “Bill Fitch,” AARP Executive Director from 1959 to 1967, in AARP’s online article.

At the signing, President Johnson stated:  “The Older Americans Act clearly affirms our Nation’s sense of responsibility toward the well-being of all of our older citizens. But even more, the results of this act will help us expand our opportunities to enrich the lives of all our citizens in this country, now and in the years to come.”

The President added: “This legislation is really the seed-corn that provides an orderly, intelligent, and constructive program to help us meet the new dimensions of responsibilities which lie ahead in the remaining years of this century.”

A Final Note…

 According to the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, Fogarty spent 26 years in Congress, spanning portions of 14 Congresses from the 77th to the 90th, fighting for causes that improved the lives of millions of Americans. The Rhode Island Congressman was a strong believer in the power of government to advance health, education, and opportunity. He helped secure federal funding for medical research, health care, libraries, and programs serving older adults and people with disabilities.

 Some of Fogarty’s most lasting legislative achievements were the Hill-Fogarty “Health for Peace” initiative, which expanded international medical research and training, and the Library Services Act, which provided federal support to rural libraries. He also helped pass important laws that improved research and services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, as well as educational opportunities for blind and deaf Americans. According to records from the National Institutes of Health and Congress, these efforts continued to shape public policy long after Fogarty left office and are still part of his legacy.

Fogarty also spent years introducing the bills that led to the creation of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) in 1965, noted Thomas J. McAndrew, Esq., of Thomas J. McAndrew & Associates.

Building on Fogarty’s legislative achievements, McAndrew, serving as treasurer of the John E. Fogarty Foundation for Persons with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in Rhode Island, also recalls that his father-in-law was honored with the National Heart of the Year Award on Feb. 3, 1966 – less than a year before he would die of a heart attack on Jan. 10, 1967 in his Washington, D.C. office at the age of 53.  

McAndrew calls Fogarty “Everybody’s Congressman” in Rhode Island and points out that he was one of the state’s most important legislators in Congress. He also mentions his skill in influencing colleagues and gaining support for his legislative work.

He recalls that the Congressman rarely issued press releases or promoted himself, instead dedicating his attention to issues that benefited the American people and humanity.

McAndrew asks: “Where have these wonderful public servants gone?”

For more details about the John E. Fogarty Foundation for Persons with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in Rhode Island, call 401-274-3279 or visit the website, http://www.fogartyfoundation.org.

To watch SARCI’s State House OAA event, go to The Senior Agenda Coalition of RI – Older Americans Month: 5-6-2026

To view votes from SARCI’s Older Americans Month celebration, go to Out and About in RI: SACRI’s Celebration of Older Americans Month (photos)

To see a Drone’s view of the lighted State Capitol, go to State House Senior Coalition Final.mp4 – Google Drive

AI Data Centers Spark Utility-Cost Concerns for Older Rate Payers

Published in RINewsToday on May 25, 2026

The Industrial Revolution began at Slater Mill in Pawtucket and transformed the economy through machine-powered manufacturing. Now, 260 years later, the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the economy again as computers take on more jobs and reshape industries.

Artificial Intelligence may feel distant from the daily lives of many older Rhode Islanders, but the electric bills needed to power it could become personal. As AI data centers expand across the country, consumer advocates and lawmakers are asking whether residential rate payers — including seniors on fixed incomes — could end up subsidizing the energy infrastructure needed by some of the world’s largest technology companies.

For older adults living on Social Security, pensions, or other fixed incomes, even modest increases in electric bills can mean tradeoffs with food, medication, transportation, or home maintenance.

AI data centers have servers and special computer hardware that run AI systems. Thousands of advanced chips quickly process data to train and run AI models for tasks such as analytics, image generation, and chatbots. Large data centers consume significant amounts of electricity and require advanced cooling systems. This has led to concerns about higher electricity bills, increased water use, and environmental impacts.

The rapid growth of AI has accelerated investment by major technology companies, including Amazon, Google, Meta, and Microsoft. By March 2026, Consumer Reports noted that there were 3,069 data centers across the country, with 1,489 more planned or under construction. Rhode Island has seven data centers.

Some researchers say that AI is driving up electricity demand. A report from Bloom Energy in January 2026 predicts that U.S. data centers will use between 80 and 150 gigawatts of energy, almost doubling from 2025 to 2028.

Opposition Builds Against AI Data Center Projects

Gallup Poll’s first survey on data center construction, released on May 13, 2026, found that many Americans are worried about AI data centers being built in their communities. People are concerned about the use of large areas of land and the possible environmental, economic, and social effects. Seven out of ten people surveyed are against these projects in their area, and almost half (48%) are strongly opposed. Only about a quarter support the centers, and just 7% are strongly in favor, notes Jeffrey M. Jones, the author of the Gallup Poll report.

About one in five people who oppose data centers worry about how they might affect daily life. Their concerns include increased noise, air and water pollution, heavier traffic, and the desire to use the land for something else. Some also mention higher utility bills, rising living costs, and the possible need for subsidies.

“Most of the remaining opposition stems from general or specific concerns about Artificial Intelligence,” notes Jones.

Even though many people have concerns, the survey shows that supporters of AI data centers view the situation differently. Most supporters point to potential economic benefits, such as new jobs, increased tax revenue, and improved infrastructure as the main positives.

When it comes to politics, the Gallup poll found that most people—whether Republican, Democrat, or Independent—do not want a data center built near their homes. The survey notes that Democrats are more likely than Republicans to be strongly opposed (56% compared to 39%), with independents in the middle at 48%.

Older Ratepayers Push Back Against Higher Utility Rates

As AI data centers grow rapidly, AARP in Washington, DC, is monitoring rising power demand and the associated costs. Approximately 40 states have considered legislative or regulatory action related to the impact of large data centers on utility costs, grid reliability, or water use.

AARP’s 2025 report, ‘Powering AI, Draining Wallets: Consumers Could Be at Risk for Steep Electric Bills,’ was conducted by the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) at the University of Chicago and sampled U.S. households aged 50+. Survey results show that 69% of people aged 50 and over have seen their electric bills go up in the past year, and one in four say the increase is significant. 78% are worried about rising electricity costs, underscoring the financial stress many older adults feel.

75% of respondents call on state leaders to ensure that regular customers do not have to pay for the electricity used by new data centers. While 78% think data centers should cover their own utility costs rather than receive government assistance, just  3% believe ratepayers should pay.

Both Democrats (76%) and Republicans (74%) want state governments to protect customers from having to subsidize AI data centers.

In Oklahoma Older Residents Weigh In on AI Data Center Debate

Also, an AARP report, “Utility Affordability and Large Data Centers,” noted that older Oklahomans, especially those living on fixed incomes, are very worried about data centers and whether they can afford their bills

“Across the country, states are facing the same fundamental question: how to support rapid growth in energy demand without risking affordability for everyday consumers,” said Jenn Jones, Vice President of Financial Security and Livable Communities at AARP, in an April 28, 2026, statement announcing the release of the report.

The survey found that most Oklahomans (92%) think state leaders should make sure current residential customers do not have to pay for the costs of new data centers. Many (86%) also believe that data center companies should pay for the big electricity and infrastructure costs themselves.

Regulating Rhode Island’s Burgeoning Data Center Industry

Supporters of data center development argue that the facilities can bring construction jobs, permanent technical and security jobs, local tax revenue, and investment in electric-grid infrastructure. The central policy question is not whether data centers should exist, but who pays for the added power capacity they require — the companies that use it, or the broader pool of residential and business customers.

On Jan. 28, 2026, House Speaker Pro Tempore Brian Patrick Kennedy (D-Dist. 38, Hopkinton, Westerly) introduced H 7331 to implement state regulations on data centers being built in Rhode Island. The bill was referred to the House Corporations Committee. In the upper chamber, Sen. Louis P. DiPalma (D-Dist. 12, Middletown, Little Compton, Newport, Tiverton) later introduced the Senate companion measure, S 2776, on March 4, 2026, which was referred to the Senate Commerce Committee. Both legislative proposals have since been recommended for further study.

“Data centers have become controversial because they often require improvements to the electric infrastructure, with ratepayers footing the bill,” said Rep. Kennedy. “This, coupled with substantial environmental implications, requires a regulatory framework that can balance the economic benefits of data centers with our energy and environmental concerns,” he says.

Both legislative proposals require the Public Utilities Commission to ensure protections for ratepayers in Rhode Island by preventing data center operators from passing their electricity costs on to residential and other business customers. Data centers must pay their own way to protect ratepayers from subsidizing the large-scale private energy demands of these projects, and no costs related to the construction of electric infrastructure should be allocated to other customers.

It would also require each data center to submit an annual report to the RI Department of Environmental Management detailing daily water withdrawals, the cooling technologies used, and water recycling or reuse practices. It would allow the DEM director to require a data center to submit a water efficiency, conservation, or recycling plan as a condition of any permit issued. A final provision requires financial assurance that provides for site restoration in the event of abandonment or cessation of operations.

For older Rhode Islanders, the debate is likely to be less about artificial intelligence itself than about affordability. As data centers expand, lawmakers and regulators will face a basic question: how to support new technology and economic development without shifting private infrastructure costs onto households already struggling with rising utility bills.

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