Stay Cool Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 9021
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Emergency Management
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-05-22: Referred to the Committee on Financial Services, and in addition to the Committees on Science, Space, and Technology, Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means, and Education and Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Last Updated
- 2026-07-10T08:06:27Z
AI-Generated Summary
Summary of H.R. 9021 (Stay Cool Act)
Purpose
This legislation seeks to enhance federal, state, and local preparedness and response to extreme heat events and heat waves by establishing new information systems, grant programs, and regulatory changes focused on public health, community infrastructure, housing, and urban development.
Key Provisions
- Title I (Heat Emergency): Maintains the National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) as an interagency committee led by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) with participation from agencies including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and National Weather Service. Establishes a pilot national ranking system for extreme heat severity based on health outcomes. Requires studies on naming heat waves and improving tracking of heat-related deaths via the U.S. standard certificate of death. Authorizes grants for programs to check on seniors during heat events, with priority for vulnerable groups.
- Title II (Community Resilience and Cooling Centers): Creates grant programs administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for establishing or improving community resilience centers (facilities providing free air-conditioned or heated refuge during extreme weather). Provides grants for purchasing or repairing heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems and passive cooling solutions (such as green roofs or cool pavements). Funds outreach and publicity efforts. Introduces a payroll tax credit under the Internal Revenue Code for eligible nonprofit community centers, libraries, or museums that extend hours or waive fees during heat emergencies.
- Title III (Housing): Authorizes HUD grants to public housing agencies for installing air conditioners or heat pumps in older public housing units. Directs HUD to revise regulations to include air conditioning costs in utility allowances. Requires a report to Congress on safe residential temperature standards and the cost of compliance in federally assisted housing, followed by regulations setting those standards. Provides grants to ensure compliance in covered federally assisted rental units. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to treat expenses for box fans or portable/window air conditioning units as medical care for tax purposes. Requires a report on revising Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) state allotments to better address cooling needs.
- Title IV (Urban Development): Establishes HUD grant programs (in coordination with the National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service) for constructing free public water features (such as splash parks or fountains) for cooling, developing urban green spaces to reduce surface temperatures, and planting resilient trees. Includes requirements for community involvement plans in applications.
- Title V (Definitions): Defines key terms including community resilience centers, cooling centers, covered federally assisted rental dwelling units (encompassing public housing, Section 8 programs, and other federally assisted housing), Indian Tribes, nonprofit organizations, public housing agencies, states, and units of general local government.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Establishes new interagency coordination mechanisms and pilot programs not previously codified.
- Introduces multiple new competitive grant authorities with multi-year funding authorizations (typically through fiscal year 2035).
- Amends the Internal Revenue Code to create a payroll credit for cooling centers and expand medical expense deductions for certain cooling devices.
- Directs revisions to HUD regulations on utility allowances and requires new regulations on safe residential temperatures.
- Mandates studies and reports that could lead to updates in death certificate data collection and LIHEAP formulas.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Increases responsibilities for NOAA, HUD, HHS, CDC, and other agencies in managing new systems, administering grants, conducting studies, and issuing regulations, potentially requiring additional staffing or coordination.
- Citizens: Expands access to cooling resources, improved heat preparedness information, and support for vulnerable populations (such as seniors and low-income residents) through centers, housing upgrades, and tax benefits; may reduce heat-related health risks in targeted communities.
- International Relations: No direct provisions affecting international matters.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Federal agencies (NOAA, HUD, HHS, CDC, EPA, National Weather Service, National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service).
- State, local, and Tribal governments, as well as public housing agencies and nonprofit organizations eligible for grants.
- Residents in public and federally assisted housing, seniors, low-income households, and communities in urban or heat-vulnerable areas.
- Taxpayers and employers operating eligible cooling facilities.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- The bill operates within Congress's spending and regulatory powers, with no apparent conflicts with constitutional provisions on federal authority.
- It emphasizes voluntary grant programs and studies rather than mandates on private entities, though new regulations on housing standards could impose compliance requirements on assisted housing providers.
- Funding is authorized but not appropriated, leaving implementation dependent on future congressional action.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie [D-NJ-12]
Cosponsors (14)
Rep. DeGette, Diana [D-CO-1], Rep. Stansbury, Melanie A. [D-NM-1], Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large], Rep. Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7], Rep. Carter, Troy A. [D-LA-2], Rep. Crockett, Jasmine [D-TX-30], Rep. Castor, Kathy [D-FL-14], Rep. Mullin, Kevin [D-CA-15], Rep. Fields, Cleo [D-LA-6], Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12], Rep. Grijalva, Adelita S. [D-AZ-7], Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13], Rep. Titus, Dina [D-NV-1], Rep. McIver, LaMonica [D-NJ-10]
Recent Actions
- 2026-05-22: Referred to the Committee on Financial Services, and in addition to the Committees on Science, Space, and Technology, Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means, and Education and Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2026-05-22: Referred to the Committee on Financial Services, and in addition to the Committees on Science, Space, and Technology, Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means, and Education and Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2026-05-22: Referred to the Committee on Financial Services, and in addition to the Committees on Science, Space, and Technology, Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means, and Education and Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2026-05-22: Referred to the Committee on Financial Services, and in addition to the Committees on Science, Space, and Technology, Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means, and Education and Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2026-05-22: Referred to the Committee on Financial Services, and in addition to the Committees on Science, Space, and Technology, Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means, and Education and Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2026-05-22: Introduced in House
- 2026-05-22: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Stay Cool Act — issued 2026-05-22 — PDF (34 pages)