Key facts
- The U.S. House of Representatives will vote next week on a bill to make daylight saving time permanent.
- The Sunshine Protection Act previously passed the House Energy and Commerce Committee with a 48-1 vote.
- The U.S. Senate unanimously passed a similar bill in March 2022.
- The proposed legislation would allow states to opt out of permanent daylight saving time.
- Supporters cite benefits such as reduced sleep disturbances, fewer workplace injuries, and increased economic activity.
- Opponents, like Senator Tom Cotton, express concerns about late winter sunrises and children attending school in darkness.
The U.S. House of Representatives is scheduled to vote next week on the Sunshine Protection Act, a bill aimed at making daylight saving time permanent nationwide. This legislative move follows a unanimous Senate vote in favor of a similar measure in March 2022, which did not advance in the House at that time.
The current proposal, which would permit states to opt out of the change, has garnered support from lawmakers who argue that permanent daylight saving time would reduce sleep disturbances, workplace injuries, and car crashes, while also potentially boosting economic activity during darker winter evenings. President Donald Trump has also publicly supported ending the twice-yearly clock changes.
However, the bill faces opposition from some senators, including Tom Cotton, who have raised concerns about the impact of later winter sunrises and children commuting to school in the dark. Representative Vern Buchanan has been a consistent proponent of the legislation since 2018, citing its popularity in his home state of Florida for its benefits to outdoor recreational activities. Representative Frank Pallone also supports the measure, highlighting potential improvements to public safety and the tourism industry.
Daylight saving time has been observed in most of the United States since the 1960s. The nation briefly utilized year-round daylight saving time during World War Two and again in 1974, but the latter proved unpopular and was repealed later that year.