Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ) reintroduced the “Stay Cool Act” (H.R.4314) in the U.S. House of Representatives on June 22. The bill – cosponsored by 12 Democratic members of Congress and endorsed by NLIHC and its Disaster Housing Recovery Coalition (DHRC) of more than 900 local, state, and national organizations – addresses the impact of heat waves on those most vulnerable to extreme heat. The bill contains provisions to include air conditioning as a covered utility in public housing and create and implement safe residential temperature standards for federally assisted rental dwelling units. The bill would also create grant programs for senior check-in programs during extreme heat events, as well as public greenspaces and cooling centers in overburdened communities.
Heat waves present a very real threat to low-income individuals, who often struggle with chronic health issues that can be exacerbated by the effects of prolonged heat exposure, leading to death. In addition, individuals experiencing homelessness are particularly susceptible to heat impacts, as they lack steady access to water and are often prevented from visiting spaces with air conditioning. The effects are often magnified by a lack of tree cover and greenspace in areas with housing affordable to people with low incomes, which can create urban heat islands, subjecting residents to even higher heat. Research indicates that an average of 12,000 annual heat-related deaths occur each year.
“Extreme heat is killing our communities, and it will continue to worsen with climate change,” said Representative Watson Coleman in a press release announcing the introduction of the bill. “For many Americans, living through unexpected heat emergencies is not simply an inconvenience or nuisance, it is a life-threatening natural disaster –worsened by climate change – that warrants action by the federal government. While we must act to combat the causes of climate change, we cannot ignore the impacts people are already facing. The Stay Cool Act helps us to better understand and address the immediate impacts of extreme heat emergencies. It treats extreme heat with the urgency that it deserves. Extreme heat is already the deadliest weather-related disaster we face, one that disproportionately impacts our most vulnerable communities. It’s time we took steps to mitigate the impacts of extreme heat to save lives.”
Read the press release at: https://bit.ly/43v7or7
Read the text of the “Stay Cool Act” at: https://bit.ly/3XGGkni