It’s a calculation by Republicans to keep the Senate in session this week.
asserted
It → ’ → session
The Senate was scheduled to meet anyway over the next few days.
asserted
Senate → schedule → days
But the general consensus early last week was that the Senate would be done then, and those facing competitive races would be back home campaigning.
asserted
those → do → races
Then Wednesday hit.
asserted
Wednesday → hit → ?
Republicans wanted to stay in Washington.
asserted
Republicans → want → Washington
And many of them told Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., as much at their weekly luncheon.
asserted
many → tell → luncheon
"Odds are we plan on being here next week," said Thune.
asserted
Thune → plan → ?
One Senate aide compared the Senate’s schedule to a cat chasing a beam of light from a laser pointer.
But the Senate is in fact meeting.
asserted
Senate → compare → fact
The Senate wasn’t quite done with the bill to regulate money in intercollegiate athletics last week.
asserted
Senate → do → athletics
And with the affordability question vexing Republicans, they really didn’t want to pass the college sports bill and promptly vacate Washington.
asserted
they → vex → Washington
GOPers wanted something more substantive.
asserted
GOPers → want → something
Democrats might have presented that opportunity to Republicans on a platter.
uncertain
Democrats → present → platter
Before the House left for the midterms the week before last, it accentuated its session by passing the Ratepayer Protection Act, 417-3.
asserted
it → leave → Act
Let me tell you, not much passes around here with 417 votes.
asserted
much → let → votes
Like their Senate colleagues, House Republicans also worry about voters doubting they’re addressing affordability.
asserted
they → worry → affordability
So this bill hit the mark for them.
asserted
bill → hit → them
The legislation defrays the costs ratepayers fork out for their utility bills if they’re driven up by data centers.
asserted
they → defray → centers
This forces the tech companies which run the data centers to foot the bill.
asserted
which → force → bill
Husted’s longtime support for data centers is also dragging him down in the eyes of some voters.
asserted
support → drag → voters
Husted tried to fix that.
asserted
Husted → try → that
He went to the floor and asked for the Senate to pass on the spot the House bill.
asserted
Senate → go → bill
However, Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., objected, blocking the effort.
asserted
Heinrich → object → effort
Republicans viewed that as an opening.
asserted
Republicans → view → opening
Democrats stood in the way of passing a bill on affordability which 417 bipartisan House members supported without blinking.
asserted
members → stand → which
Senate GOPers immediately seized this opportunity as a wedge against their adversaries.
asserted
GOPers → seize → adversaries
And, they interpreted this as a chance to assist their Ohio colleague.
asserted
they → interpret → colleague
"Tell the data centers we're happy to have you.
asserted
we → tell → you
But you've got to pay your own electricity.
asserted
you → get → electricity
People are not going to pay for it," said Sen. John Kennedy, R-La.
asserted
Kennedy → go → it
Republicans were already leery about the uneven political footing when it comes to AI. Even more so with data centers.
asserted
it → come → centers
Voters are not enamored with the results of the Big, Beautiful Bill, passed last summer.
asserted
Voters → enamor → Bill
But dealing with data centers is more immediate and might resonate with those who soured on the Republican brand.
uncertain
who → deal → brand
"In Missouri, people are absolutely scared to death that these data centers are going to take all the prime farm ground of the state.
asserted
centers → go → state
And then they're going to raise electricity bills so high, no one will be able to afford them," said Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo.
asserted
Hawley → go → them
The official schedule intended for the Senate to meet this week.
asserted
Senate → intend → ?
But once September hit and no government shutdown loomed, senators from both sides – especially those facing challenging elections – wanted to skip Washington and campaign back home.
asserted
senators → hit → Washington
Yours truly asked Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., why his party stood in the way of the Senate aligning with the House on that data center/utilities measure.
asserted
Senate → ask → measure
"Was this blocked in the Senate last week by Democrats as an effort to prevent Sen. Husted from having a win in this competitive race?" I asked.
asserted
I → block → race
No company has to do it.
asserted
company → have → it
The bill we have is mandatory.
asserted
we → have → ?
…and 35 more, not listed.
The Aporia
