A proposal to make daylight saving time permanent year-round has advanced in the United States House of Representatives, reviving a long-debated idea that has repeatedly gained public support but failed to become law in Congress.
The House Energy and Commerce Committee voted 48-1 on Thursday in favor of the Sunshine Protection Act, a measure that would end the twice-yearly practice of changing clocks and keep daylight saving time in effect throughout the year. The proposal is expected to be incorporated into a broader five-year transportation bill if it progresses further.
Supporters of the legislation argue that eliminating clock changes would reduce disruptions to sleep patterns, lower workplace injury rates, and decrease traffic accidents associated with the time shifts. They also say that longer evening daylight hours during winter months could encourage consumer activity and benefit local economies.
The issue has long divided lawmakers and health experts, but continues to attract strong public interest, particularly among Americans who say the seasonal time changes are outdated and inconvenient.
Former President Donald Trump publicly supported the committee’s vote, writing on social media that it was “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.”
Despite the committee approval, the bill still faces a difficult path ahead. It must be passed by the full House of Representatives before moving to the Senate, where similar efforts have previously stalled due to disagreements among lawmakers.
Opposition has come from some Republican senators, including Tom Cotton, who has warned that permanent daylight saving time would lead to extremely late winter sunrises in parts of the country. Critics argue this could force children and workers to begin their day in darkness during colder months, raising safety and practical concerns.
The legislation also includes provisions allowing individual states to opt out of the change, adding another layer of complexity to its potential implementation.
Representative Vern Buchanan, a Republican from Florida, has been one of the most consistent advocates for ending clock changes, reintroducing the proposal annually since 2018. The idea has been particularly popular in Florida, where extended evening daylight is seen as beneficial for outdoor activities and tourism, including golf and recreational sports.
In March 2022, the US Senate unanimously passed a similar measure, signaling bipartisan interest at the time. However, the House did not bring the legislation to a vote, causing the effort to stall despite early momentum.
Democratic Representative Frank Pallone of New Jersey has also supported the shift to permanent daylight saving time, arguing it would improve public safety and strengthen the state’s tourism sector. He has called for an end to what he described as an unnecessary biannual disruption.
“Let’s stop changing the clocks twice a year,” Pallone said, framing the proposal as both a practical and economic improvement.
Daylight saving time has been observed in nearly all parts of the United States since the 1960s, with clocks moving forward one hour during the summer months to extend evening daylight.
The concept of year-round daylight saving time has been implemented before. It was first used nationwide during World War II and briefly reinstated in 1974 as part of an energy conservation effort. However, the policy proved deeply unpopular with the public, particularly due to dark winter mornings, and was repealed later that same year.
As the latest proposal moves forward in Congress, lawmakers once again face the challenge of balancing public preferences, safety concerns, and regional differences in how daylight hours affect daily life across the country.
