Energy Dept. to pay low-income households to install reflective roofs
H.R. 2679 — Cool Roof Rebate Act of 2025 · Filed by Valerie Foushee (D-NC) · 6 cosponsors · Introduced Apr 7, 2025 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill directs the Department of Energy to create a rebate program offering households $0.25–$0.75 per square foot to install reflective 'cool roof' products that reduce heat absorption. Eligibility is limited to households earning under 200% of their ZIP code's median income and living in high-heat areas (or any income level in DC, Alaska, Hawaii, and territories). The program runs through 2030 with $25 million annually in authorized funding, and the DOE must report on outcomes afterward.
Why we flagged it
The bill is a targeted rebate program designed to reduce heat exposure in vulnerable communities through energy-efficient roofing. It combines climate adaptation with income-based assistance, making it fundamentally a public-health and equity measure rather than a general subsidy.
What the text implies
- Cool roof products must meet specific reflectance/emittance standards set by the Cool Roof Rating Council, creating a de facto certification requirement that may limit eligible product variety or favor established manufacturers.
- The Heat and Health Index eligibility criterion (75th percentile or higher) excludes many moderate-income households in cooler regions, even if they would benefit from reduced cooling costs.
- Rebate stacking is explicitly permitted (subsection c), allowing households to combine this rebate with other federal, state, or utility programs, potentially creating windfall benefits for some participants.
- The program terminates in 2030 with no renewal mechanism, creating uncertainty for households planning long-term cooling investments and potentially stranding the Cool Roof Calculator tool after 2030.
Section numbers refer to the bill text the analysis read — linked under Primary records below.
Who it affects
Low- and moderate-income households in high-heat areas gain direct financial assistance to reduce cooling costs and heat-related health risks. The income cap and geographic targeting ensure benefits flow to vulnerable populations most affected by urban heat.
Who stands to gain
- Cool roof product manufacturers (asphalt shingle, metal, tile, and coating producers meeting CRRC st
- Installation contractors and roofing companies
- Cool Roof Rating Council (receives funding for product certification and testing)
Named in the bill
Department of Energy, Cool Roof Rating Council, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, American National Standards Institute, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Housing and Urban Development
Where it stands
6 cosponsors: 6 Democrats.
- Apr 7, 2025 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in House”
- Apr 7, 2025 — Referred to House Committee on Energy and Commerce · Congress.gov: “Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce”
Dates and quoted wording are Congress.gov's action record; the timeline shows status changes, not every procedural step.
How this was measured
Analysis — Quorum's AI read the bill text published by Congress.gov (7,009 characters) on Sep 27, 2026. Section numbers in the findings refer to that text, linked below; transparency and hidden-provision scores are compared against the median of 15,316 analysed bills.
Status and sponsors — Congress.gov's bill record — actions, committee referrals and cosponsors — loaded nightly. The timeline shows status changes, not every procedural action.
As of — page rendered 2026-09-27.
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