Key facts
- Senate Majority Leader John Thune said there is no clear path forward for legislation to make daylight saving time permanent.
- President Trump is strongly advocating for the Sunshine Protection Act and pressuring GOP senators to pass it.
- The Sunshine Protection Act previously passed the House with a vote of 308 to 117.
- Senator Tom Cotton opposes the bill, citing past attempts and hardships of early winter sunrises.
- Senator Rick Scott is seeking a vote on the bill during the lame-duck session.
- Senator Roger Wicker noted broader opposition within the Senate GOP due to safety concerns, particularly in northern states.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) has indicated that there is "no clear path forward" to pass legislation that would make daylight saving time permanent, despite strong backing from President Trump. Trump has been actively pressuring Republican senators to advance the Sunshine Protection Act, which aims to establish year-round daylight saving time.
Trump has made the bill a priority, posting on Truth Social that the clock-changing process is "ridiculous" and costly, and that most people prefer extra sunlight in the evening. He specifically targeted Senator Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) for his opposition, which Cotton attributes to the difficulties of early winter sunrises in northern regions, and even shared Cotton's private cellphone number, urging constituents to contact him.
Senator Rick Scott (R-Fla.) is advocating for a vote on the bill during the upcoming lame-duck session. However, opposition within the Senate GOP conference extends beyond Cotton. Senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) stated that there are "real safety concerns, particularly in the more northern and rural states where children get on the school bus at very early hours," suggesting more opposition than the president may realize. Thune himself previously voted against making daylight saving time year-round when it was considered in the Senate Commerce Committee.