Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II (5th District Missouri)
(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO), Valerie Foushee (D-NC), and Raul Ruiz (D-CA) introduced H.R. 9894, the Cool Roof Rebate Act of 2024, legislation to create a rebate program for reflective roofing products to lower home temperatures and reduce energy consumption and costs.
“As global temperatures rise to record levels and extreme heat continues to pose an ever-growing threat to our communities, particularly in the urban core, I’m proud to introduce the Cool Roof Rebate Act with Congresswoman Foushee to safeguard families and lower energy costs,” said Congressman Emanuel Cleaver. “This legislation provides an innovative solution to ease energy-related hardships on American households while ensuring vulnerable families are able to stay safe and cool in their homes throughout the summer. That’s a win-win for my constituents, and I’ll continue to work with my colleagues in the House to ensure this pivotal legislation is signed into law.”
“This past year was the hottest on record, and as temperatures continue to rise and we experience record-breaking heat due to climate change, it is critical that we provide communities with the support they need to mitigate the effects of extreme heat,” said Congresswoman Valerie Foushee. “The Cool Roof Rebate Act is a first of its kind federal rebate program that will help vulnerable households that are impacted by extreme heat purchase reflective roofing products, thereby lowering energy costs and increasing energy efficiency. I am proud to introduce this significant legislation with Congressman Cleaver and Congressman Ruiz, and I look forward to working to pass it through the House and onward.”
“During the summer, temperatures in California’s 25th district frequently exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit, sometimes hitting as high as 120. Our region is among the hottest in this country, which comes with additional health risks,” said Congressman Raul Ruiz, M.D. “Cool roof products are vital for underserved communities facing extreme heat, offering relief while positively impacting our environment. We introduced this bill to create pathways to help mitigate extreme heat.”
“A cool roof rebate program is a vital step toward improving public health, especially as we face the increasing risks of extreme heat. By making cool roofs more accessible, particularly for vulnerable and marginalized communities, we can significantly reduce heat-related illnesses, improve indoor air quality, and alleviate the strain on our cardiovascular and respiratory systems. These communities often bear the brunt of extreme heat due to limited access to resources and green spaces. This initiative not only helps create healthier homes and neighborhoods but also lessens the burden on our energy systems, making our cities more resilient and sustainable for everyone,” said Dr. Georges Benjamin, Executive Director of the American Public Health Association
“To prepare for future extreme heat events, we need to be developing and deploying innovative adaptation solutions at scale. The Cool Roof Rebate Act of 2024 will make cool roofing technology affordable to more Americans to lower their home cooling costs and provide the incentives necessary to grow and diversify the cool roofing market,” said Daniel Correa, CEO of the Federation of American Scientists
“Another summer of record-breaking extreme heat underscores the urgency of the Cool Roof Rebate Act, which tackles the urban heat island effect while delivering cost-effective benefits like energy efficiency, reduced strain on electric grids, greater resiliency, lower energy bills, and improved health outcomes for vulnerable communities. Our early benefit-cost modeling in the 10 U.S. metro areas (representing more than 35 million people) with whom we’re currently working, is showing that 80% deployment of cool roofs across the 10 metro areas would produce a net financial benefit of $59 billion, with an average benefit cost ratio of nearly 9:1. Extreme heat is the leading weather-related killer, and this bill will be a literal lifesaver, as well as saving citizens substantial amounts of money,” said Greg Kats, CEO of the Smart Surfaces Coalition, a nonprofit that convenes more than 40 organizations focused on mitigating extreme heat and flooding in urban areas by transforming surface infrastructure.
Specifically, the Cool Roof Rebate Act will:
- Provide a rebate to eligible households for the purchase and installation of eligible cool roof products to mitigate extreme heat.
- Authorize up to $25,000,000 in household rebates annually across all 50 states and U.S. territories between FY25-FY29.
- Require the U.S. Department of Energy to submit a report to Congress six months after the program’s termination to evaluate the program’s efficacy and impact.
The Cool Roof Rebate Act is endorsed by the American Public Health Association, the Federation of American Scientists, and the Smart Surfaces Coalition.
The Cool Roof Rebate Act is cosponsored by Reps. Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Steven Horsford (NV-04), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Barbara Lee (CA-12), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL), Darren Soto (FL-09), Juan Vargas (CA-52), and Shri Thanedar (MI-13).
Official text of the Cool Roof Rebate Act is available here.
Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee’s Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Greenwood, Blue Springs, North Kansas City, Gladstone, and Claycomo. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance.