House Passes Bill to Make Daylight Saving Time Permanent Nationwide
The U.S. House voted Tuesday to eliminate the twice-yearly practice of changing clocks, passing legislation that would make daylight saving time permanent across most of the country.
The bill, known as the Sunshine Protection Act, passed 308-117 and would lock the country into the time currently observed from March to November, effectively ending the annual "spring forward" and "fall back" adjustments. Rep. Scott DesJarlais, R-Tenn., who presided over the vote, played the Beatles' "Here Comes the Sun" on his phone as he read the final tally.
What the Bill Actually Does
The legislation, sponsored by Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., would repeal a section of the Uniform Time Act of 1966 to end the biannual clock changes nationwide. States that already observe standard time year-round, such as Hawaii and most of Arizona, would be allowed to keep an exemption in place before the law takes effect. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 19 states have already passed legislation preparing to shift to permanent daylight saving time if Congress gave the green light.
The bill now heads to the Senate, where a similar version passed by unanimous consent in 2022 but never received a House vote. Its path forward remains uncertain; a bipartisan effort to fast-track a similar measure in 2025 was blocked by Republican Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, who has raised concerns about the change.
Trump's Long-Running Push
President Donald Trump has repeatedly called for an end to the clock changes, though his stated preference for daylight saving time versus standard time has shifted over the years. Following the bill's advancement out of the House Energy and Commerce Committee in May, where it passed 48-1, Trump wrote on Truth Social that he planned to "work very hard to see The Sunshine Protection Act signed into Law." He added: "It's time that people can stop worrying about the 'Clock,' not to mention all of the work and money that is spent on this ridiculous, twice yearly production."
Supporters and Skeptics
Backers of the change argue that eliminating the clock switch would reduce sleep disruption, improve public health outcomes and give Americans more usable daylight in the evenings throughout the year. "I don't really know anybody who wants to change the clock anymore," said Democratic Rep. Frank Pallone of New Jersey during a House Rules Committee hearing this week. Buchanan echoed that sentiment on the House floor, saying the clock changes disrupt schedules "for no good reason."
Critics, including some medical groups and lawmakers representing Midwestern and farming communities, warn that permanent daylight saving time could create later, darker mornings in the winter months, raising safety concerns for children walking to school and workers with early start times. Cotton has specifically pointed to parts of the country where sunrise wouldn't occur until 9 a.m. or later under the change. Sleep researchers have also expressed mixed views on the shift, with some preferring permanent standard time instead due to its closer alignment with the body's natural circadian rhythm.
Not the First Attempt
Congress originally introduced daylight saving time in 1918 to conserve energy during World War I, and reinstated it during World War II. The U.S. has attempted permanent daylight saving time once before in modern history: President Richard Nixon signed a similar measure into law in 1974 amid the oil crisis. The policy was initially popular, but public support declined within less than a year following reports of increased incidents of children being struck by cars during darker morning commutes.
Polling suggests broad appetite for ending the twice-yearly changes altogether, even if consensus on the replacement remains elusive. A 2025 AP-NORC poll found the current system is broadly unpopular, though opinion is split between those who favor permanent daylight saving time and those who prefer permanent standard time. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., who has led past Senate efforts on the issue, called on Senate Majority Leader John Thune to bring the bill to a vote "as soon as possible" now that it has cleared the House.
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