For Immediate Release: September 16, 2026
IBEW International President Kenneth W. Cooper issued the following statement on the House passage of the Ratepayer Protection Act:
“Today’s vote by the House of Representatives to pass the Ratepayer Protection Act is a welcome step forward.
“From the beginning, the IBEW has made clear that data centers must pay their fair share and invest in upgrading the power grid to ensure affordable and reliable power for residential and commercial customers.
“We recognize the House of Representatives for working towards that principle. This bill reinforces important work already underway in many states where workers, developers, utilities, and legislators have partnered to ensure that data centers are being built responsibly with a highly skilled workforce and in a manner that serves local communities, while also preserving necessary autonomy for state regulators to tailor energy policies to meet specific needs of their communities.
“The IBEW looks forward to continuing to work with Congressional leadership and partners at every level of state government to ensure that the buildout, operation, and maintenance of data centers and supporting infrastructure is done responsibly and with high-road union jobs.”
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The IBEW represents approximately 901,000 members and retirees who work in a wide variety of fields, including construction, utilities, manufacturing, telecommunications, broadcasting, railroads and government.