Sen. Jon Husted, a Republican from Ohio, speaks during a roundtable on a ratepayer protection pledge in the Indian Treaty Room of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building at the White House in Washington, March 4, 2026. Bonnie Cash | Bloomberg | Getty Images Senate Democrats on Wednesday defeated a pair of bills that aimed to address data center-related affordability concerns and limit Congress members’ ability to profit on the stock market while in office, arguing both were watered-down proposals. The data center bill, dubbed the Ratepayer Protection Act, failed on a vote of 57-43. A second bill, known as the Stop Insider Trading Act, which also includes a controversial voter-identification provision, was defeated on a party-line, 53-47 vote. Each bill needed 60 votes to overcome the Senate filibuster. Republicans will likely use the votes as fodder on the campaign trail this fall, as the GOP seeks to hold narrow majorities in both chambers despite President Donald Trump’s falling approval ratings and persistent concerns about affordability. The Senate is due to recess as soon as Wednesday, …