The Trump administration wants to open federal land to data centers. Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden wants to keep those facilities off national forests and other land managed by the Interior Department.
The Democrat is also pressing for stronger surveillance safeguards and warning that new Medicaid eligibility rules could make it harder for seriously ill patients to keep their coverage.
While those issues put him at odds with most Republicans, Wyden pointed to wildfire tax relief as a reason to keep working across party lines.
Data centers on public land
Trump’s July 2025 executive order directs agencies to make suitable federal sites available for data centers and speed up permitting. The administration describes the expansion of artificial intelligence infrastructure as a national security priority.
Wyden said that development threatens public lands across the West.
“These are our treasures, and all through the West we would lose a significant set of values that have been important for hundreds of years,” he said.
His bill would prohibit data center construction on National Forest System land and land managed by the Interior Department, with exclusions for specified tribal lands.
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., blocked Wyden’s request to pass the bill by unanimous consent Sept. 30. Paul argued that communities should retain flexibility to decide whether they want data centers, including in areas where the federal government owns much of the land.
Wyden also raised concerns about electricity and community safety. He said he would offer more proposals to protect communities and workers who need retraining but did not provide details.
Privacy and license plate cameras
License plate readers can help police find vehicles connected to crimes. They also create searchable records of where vehicles have been.
That trade-off has divided Southern Oregon communities. In August, the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office ended its contract for 10 Flock cameras after privacy complaints and vandalism. Sheriff Dave Daniel said the technology had helped solve crimes but faced substantial opposition.
Wyden criticized Flock during the interview and called for stronger surveillance safeguards.
On Oct. 9, he asked the White House to release a privacy report commissioned by the Office of National Drug Control Policy. His office says the report examines surveillance activities funded by that office, including a national database that collects images from Flock and other license plate cameras.
Flock says it has strengthened privacy and security safeguards, including mandatory multifactor authentication and requirements for law enforcement users to document their reasons for searches.
Medicaid rules and access to care
Wyden said he worries that new Medicaid eligibility rules could interrupt treatment for seriously ill patients.
“We’ve got people on Medicaid with cancer, and I’m worried about whether they’re going to be denied health care as they try to go forward and get well,” he said.
Beginning Jan. 1, 2027, some adults ages 19 through 64 will face work or activity requirements when applying for or renewing Medicaid. The administration says the requirements will encourage employment and greater financial independence.
Medical exemptions are available for qualifying conditions that significantly impair a person’s ability to meet the requirements. A cancer diagnosis alone does not automatically qualify someone for that exemption under the federal rule.
The Oregon Health Authority says people claiming an exemption for a qualifying medical condition will not need a provider’s statement in 2027. Beginning in 2028, the state may request a statement if medical records do not provide enough information to verify the exemption.
Wildfire tax relief
Wyden cited wildfire tax relief as an example of what bipartisan cooperation can accomplish.
A law Trump signed Sept. 11 excludes qualifying wildfire compensation from federal taxable income for payments received in tax years beginning after 2025. It applies to qualifying wildfire disasters declared from 2015 through 2026, subject to limits that prevent duplicate tax benefits or compensation for the same loss.
“I’ll work with anybody who wants to get them some help,” Wyden said.
