Key facts
- A bill to make daylight saving time permanent has advanced in the US House of Representatives.
- The House Rules Committee approved the advancement of the bill on a 6-4 vote.
- The Sunshine Protection Act, which would establish permanent daylight saving time, has bipartisan support.
- A competing proposal, the Sunshine for Our Kids Act, advocates for permanent standard time.
- Donald Trump has expressed support for making daylight saving time permanent.
- Hawaii and most of Arizona do not observe daylight saving time and could opt out of permanent DST.
The U.S. House of Representatives is moving closer to a potential vote on making daylight saving time (DST) permanent nationwide. The House Rules Committee advanced the Sunshine Protection Act, which would end the practice of changing clocks twice a year, with a 6-4 vote. This bill, sponsored by Republican Representative Vern Buchanan, has garnered bipartisan support, including from President Donald Trump, who stated it would be a "very nice WIN for the Republican Party."
Supporters of permanent DST argue it offers longer daylight hours in the evenings, potentially boosting economic activity and reducing sleep disturbances. However, a competing proposal, the Sunshine for Our Kids Act, introduced by Representatives Pat Harrigan and Mary Gay Scanlon, advocates for permanent standard time, which sleep medicine specialists suggest is more aligned with natural circadian rhythms. Concerns have also been raised about darker winter mornings, particularly for children traveling to school.
Most U.S. states observe DST, but Hawaii and most of Arizona do not and would likely have the option to opt out of any permanent DST legislation. Similar efforts to establish permanent DST have stalled in Congress previously, though there is growing public and legislative momentum to end the biannual clock changes. The U.S. Senate had unanimously approved a similar bill in March 2022, but it did not advance in the House at that time.