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Issue record

Energy, climate and data centers

In short

Lawrence's campaign backs a 12-month pause on new data centers and climate spending that lowers bills. Barrett's campaign backs a local final say on data centers and more energy production. Dedrick backs the Green New Deal and is running on climate; no data center statement was found. On the record, Barrett voted against 2015 state tax breaks for data center equipment, which passed with both parties' votes; his 2026 data center bills sit in committee.

Campaign positions

What each campaign says.

William Lawrence

He calls for a 12-month federal moratorium on new data centers, rules for AI and data center growth, and investment against climate change that also lowers electric bills.

Tom Barrett

He says communities should have the final say on data centers, and calls for more American energy production through permitting reform and fewer regulations.

Shane Dedrick

He backs the Green New Deal and says he is running on climate, citing tornadoes and hard winters. No statement on data centers found.

Evidence timeline

What the record shows.

  1. official action

    Tom Barrett: Matches stated record claim

    He voted no on two 2015 bills that exempted data center equipment from sales and use tax, which passed 61-45 with yes votes from both parties.

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    Full detail

    His House office says he has long opposed government favoring data centers, and that in the Michigan House he voted against legislation his own party passed to give data centers tax breaks. The House Journal records him voting Nay on December 15, 2015 on Senate Bills 616 and 617, which exempted certain data center equipment from sales and use tax. Both passed 61 to 45 (Roll Calls 487 and 488) and became Public Acts 251 and 252 of 2015. In Congress he introduced the Protecting Local Control of Data Centers Act (H.R. 10119) and the No Data Center NDAs Act (H.R. 10118) on August 20, 2026; both sit in committee. Limit: The 2015 votes are as he says. Those bills covered data center equipment; "construction" is his office's wider word. His party ran the House, but both parties supplied yes votes: 32 Republicans and 29 Democrats. 28 Republicans voted no with him.

  2. official action

    Tom Barrett: Matches stated record claim

    The final 2025 tax law never says "data center", but the House bill he voted for in May did, in a rural opportunity zone rule the law kept; general business breaks apply to data centers too.

    Read the full check

    Full detail

    In the October 6 debate, Barrett said the words "data center" were not even in the working families tax cut that Congress passed. He voted for H.R. 1 in May 2025 (Roll Call 145) and for the final version, which became Public Law 119-21 in July 2025 (Roll Call 190). The law's text does not contain the words "data center". The House version he voted for in May did: a rural opportunity zone rule was headed "including for data centers". The final law kept that rule but dropped those words. Limit: True of the final law. The House version he voted for in May 2025 named data centers in a rural opportunity zone rule; the law kept the rule without those words. Its general business breaks, such as full write-offs of equipment, are open to data centers too.

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Sources17 source records

How we use sources

  1. William Lawrence for Congress, home pagehttps://wewill2026.com/

    Friends of William Lawrence · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Campaign-controlled source, the committee's filed website, "Paid for by Friends of William Lawrence". Four priorities and links to X (@wewill2026), Instagram (@wewill2026mi), Facebook, TikTok and Bluesky.

    candidate statement

    For: William Lawrence: campaign position

  2. Platformhttps://wewill2026.com/platform/

    Friends of William Lawrence · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Campaign-controlled source, in his own words: nineteen sections. Undated. Its lines about his opponent are out of scope here.

    candidate statement

    For: William Lawrence: campaign position

  3. Barrett Introduces Bills to Protect Local Communities From Data Center Overreachhttps://barrett.house.gov/media/press-releases/barrett-introduces-bills-protect-local-communities-data-center-overreach

    Office of Congressman Tom Barrett · Published Aug 20, 2026 · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    His House office's release, in his own words where quoted.

    candidate statement

    For: Tom Barrett: campaign position; Tom Barrett: Matches stated record claim

  4. Barrett Hosts Energy Roundtable to Highlight Work to Expand Energy Production, Lower Costshttps://barrett.house.gov/media/press-releases/barrett-hosts-energy-roundtable-highlight-work-expand-energy-production-lower

    Office of Congressman Tom Barrett · Published Aug 25, 2026 · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    His House office's release, in his own words where quoted.

    candidate statement

    For: Tom Barrett: campaign position

  5. How an unknown candidate secured the Green Party nod in Michigan with minimal vettinghttps://www.wlns.com/your-local-election-hq/dedrick-michigan-congressional-race-controversy/

    WLNS 6 News (Brad LaPlante) · Published Aug 18, 2026 · Reviewed Oct 2, 2026

    Quotes Dedrick's answers to delegates at the party's April 25 convention, which match the party's recording. Its reporting on his past donations and work is not used.

    original reporting

    For: Shane Dedrick: campaign position

  6. Nominating convention 2026 part 2https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6MEM0sz0zY

    Green Party of Michigan · Reviewed Oct 2, 2026

    The party's recording of its online nominating convention. The automatic captions have no speaker names, so quotes come from WLNS's report of the same remarks.

    endorsement

    For: Shane Dedrick: campaign position

  7. Journal of the House, No. 101, December 15, 2015 (document)

    Michigan House of Representatives · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Pages 2194 and 2195 print Roll Calls 487 and 488, on Senate Bills 616 and 617. Barrett is listed among the 45 Nays on both. Matched by name against the party roster in Journal No. 1 of 2015, the 61 Yeas on each were 32 Republicans and 29 Democrats, and the 45 Nays 28 Republicans and 17 Democrats.

    official legislative record

    For: Tom Barrett: Matches stated record claim

  8. Journal of the House, No. 1, January 14, 2015 (document)

    Michigan House of Representatives · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Pages 2 to 4 print the certified list of representatives-elect for 2015-16, by district, with party: 63 Republicans and 47 Democrats. Barrett is listed for the 71st District as a Republican. Used to sort the 2015 data center votes by party.

    official legislative record

    For: Tom Barrett: Matches stated record claim

  9. Senate Bill 616 of 2015 (Public Act 251 of 2015)https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Bills/Bill?ObjectName=2015-SB-0616

    Michigan Legislature · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Sales tax exemption for certain data center equipment. Sponsor Senator Tonya Schuitmaker. Passed the House December 15, 2015 (Roll Call 487, 61 to 45); approved December 23, 2015.

    official legislative record

    For: Tom Barrett: Matches stated record claim

  10. Senate Bill 617 of 2015 (Public Act 252 of 2015)https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Bills/Bill?ObjectName=2015-SB-0617

    Michigan Legislature · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Use tax exemption for certain data center equipment. Passed the House December 15, 2015 (Roll Call 488, 61 to 45); approved December 23, 2015.

    official legislative record

    For: Tom Barrett: Matches stated record claim

  11. H.R. 10119, Protecting Local Control of Data Centers Acthttps://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/10119

    Congress.gov · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Sponsored by Barrett, introduced August 20, 2026; referred to Energy and Commerce.

    official legislative record

    For: Tom Barrett: Matches stated record claim

  12. H.R. 10118, No Data Center NDAs Acthttps://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/10118

    Congress.gov · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Sponsored by Barrett, introduced August 20, 2026; referred to House Administration.

    official legislative record

    For: Tom Barrett: Matches stated record claim

  13. WKAR MI-07 debate, October 6: Barrett on data centers and the tax law, 24:59https://www.pbs.org/video/decision-2026-michigans-7th-congressional-district-debate-paftzd/

    WKAR Public Media · Published Oct 6, 2026 · Reviewed Oct 10, 2026

    24:59-25:04 in WKAR's PBS video. From WKAR's own English caption file for its PBS video. It is the only English transcript read, so the card describes and does not quote.

    candidate statement

    Decision 2026: Michigan's 7th Congressional District Debate

    WKAR Public Media · Published Oct 6, 2026 · Reviewed Oct 10, 2026

    WKAR's video of the October 6 debate, made with WILX News 10 and FOX 47. Its English caption file is the transcript used for every statement and time from this debate. Only one English transcript was read, so statements are described, not quoted.

    candidate statement

    For: Tom Barrett: Matches stated record claim

  14. Roll Call 145, H.R. 1, on passagehttps://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2025145

    Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives · Reviewed Oct 10, 2026

    Recorded vote of May 22, 2025, House passage of H.R. 1. Barrett voted Yea.

    official legislative record

    For: Tom Barrett: Matches stated record claim

  15. Roll Call 190, H.R. 1, on motion to concur in the Senate amendmenthttps://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2025190

    Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives · Reviewed Oct 10, 2026

    Recorded vote of July 3, 2025, the final House vote on H.R. 1. Barrett voted Aye.

    official legislative record

    For: Tom Barrett: Matches stated record claim

  16. H.R. 1 as passed by the House, May 22, 2025https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-119hr1eh/html/BILLS-119hr1eh.htm

    U.S. Government Publishing Office · Reviewed Oct 10, 2026

    The House-passed text. Its opportunity zone section heads a rural rule 'including for data centers'.

    official legislative record

    For: Tom Barrett: Matches stated record claim

  17. Public Law 119-21 (H.R. 1)https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/PLAW-119publ21/html/PLAW-119publ21.htm

    U.S. Government Publishing Office · Published Jul 4, 2025 · Reviewed Oct 10, 2026

    The enacted text, read in full. Sections 70201 and 70202 create the tip and overtime deductions, which end after 2028; a temporary $6,000 deduction applies for people 65 and older. Section 70301 makes full expensing permanent. The Medicaid title limits federal payment by immigration status from October 1, 2026, caps the federal share of emergency care for people without lawful status (section 71110), requires six-month eligibility checks for expansion adults (section 71107) and sets a monthly rule of 80 hours of work, service or a work program, or half-time school. The words "data center" appear nowhere in it.

    official legislative record

    For: Tom Barrett: Matches stated record claim