US Senate begins review of permitting bill 62-21... final vote remains

The U.S. Senate voted 62-21 to open debate on H.R.2347, a permitting reform bill, though the final vote on the legislation itself has not yet occurred. The procedural motion followed a 73-25 cloture vote on the same measure, with the underlying reform originally introduced as S.5653. The bill would apply to data centers and high-density facilities with an aggregate power load of 20MW or more on a single site or multiple sites under common ownership or control. The move signals advancing momentum for permitting overhaul legislation that could affect how large power-hungry facilities, including data center infrastructure tied to crypto mining and AI compute, are sited and approved. The next step is the final Senate vote on the bill itself, which will determine whether the reform reaches enactment.