WASHINGTON, DC (April 7, 2025) — Today, Congresswoman Valerie Foushee (NC-04), Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, II (MO-05), and Congressman Raul Ruiz, M.D. (CA-25) introduced the Cool Roof Rebate Act, legislation to create a rebate program for reflective roofing products to lower home temperatures and reduce energy consumption and costs.
“As communities across the country continue to experience extreme weather events and record-breaking heat due to climate change, it is critical that Congress take steps to provide communities with the support they need to mitigate the effects,” said Congresswoman Valerie Foushee (NC-04). “The Cool Roof Rebate Act will help vulnerable households purchase reflective roofing products through a first of its kind federal rebate program, thereby lowering energy costs and increasing energy efficiency. I am proud to reintroduce this critical piece of legislation with Congressman Cleaver and Congressman Ruiz, and I look forward to working to pass it through the House and onward.”
“As global temperatures continue to rise to record-breaking levels and at a record-breaking pace, it’s imperative that Congress provide families with new and innovative ways to beat the heat and lower energy costs,” said Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, II (MO-05). “I’m proud to introduce the Cool Roof Rebate Act with Congresswoman Foushee and Congressman Ruiz to create a new program dedicated to helping working class families in Missouri and across the country afford reflective roofing products that will keep their homes cool, costs low, and extreme heat at bay.”
“Just last month, parts of California’s 25th District hit triple-digit heat, the earliest it has exceeded 100 degrees Fahrenheit in over a decade. Our region includes California’s desert communities, where summer temperatures can soar well above 110 degrees. It’s one of the hottest areas in the country, and that comes with serious health risks,” said Congressman Raul Ruiz, M.D. (CA-25). “The Cool Roof Rebate Act creates the first federal rebate program of its kind to help underserved communities afford reflective roofing, reducing energy consumption, improving efficiency, and protecting families from extreme heat.”
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
- Eligible households determined by two metrics measuring exposure to extreme heat and median income of the residence’s zip code
- Eligible cool roof products are ones that have been tested and verified by the Cool Roof Ratings Council
- 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 Coachella Valley Housing Coalition, Federation of American Scientists and Smart Surfaces Coalition.
“We are proud to support the Cool Roof Rebate Act which will help many hard-working families living under extreme heat to improve their living conditions by providing a rebate for the installation of eligible cool roof products. Our Coachella Valley families in California experience extreme heat for five to six months of the year and this program will allow them to retrofit their roofs to provide a much cooler environment that will improve their quality of live.” - Pedro S. G. Rodriguez, Executive Director / CEO, Coachella Valley Housing Coalition.
"To prepare for future extreme heat events, we need to be developing and deploying innovative adaptation solutions at scale. The Cool Roof Rebate Act 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.” - Daniel Correa, CEO of the Federation of American Scientists.
“Yet another year of record-breaking extreme heat underscores the urgency of the Cool Roof Rebate Act, which tackles the urban heat island effect while delivering lower energy bills, safer work environments for outdoor workers and improved health outcomes for vulnerable communities. Our current benefit-cost modeling with 10 major U.S. metro areas with whom we are working demonstrates that an 80% deployment of cool roofs across those areas (representing more than 35 million people) would produce a net financial benefit of $34.7 billion, with an average benefit cost ratio of 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.” - Greg Kats, CEO of the Smart Surfaces Coalition.
The Cool Roof Rebate Act is cosponsored by: Rep. Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Rep. Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), and Rep. Shri Thanedar (MI-13).
The full bill text is available here.