The US House of Representatives has taken a significant step towards making daylight saving time permanent across the United States. In a bipartisan vote on Tuesday, the House passed the Sunshine Protection Act with a margin of 308-117, a move that would see Americans no longer having to adjust their clocks twice a year.
The legislation, which has garnered support from both Democrats and Republicans, would effectively implement the time currently observed between March and November as the permanent standard. Republican Representative Vern Buchanan of Florida, who introduced the bill in January 2025, argued on Tuesday that clock changes disrupt schedules "for no good reason."
The issue of time changes has been a long-standing debate in the US, with former President Donald Trump pledging to end the practice upon his return to the White House. In a social media post in May, Trump stated he would "work very hard" to pass a law on time changes, calling the twice-yearly production "ridiculous" and a "very nice WIN for the Republican Party."
Daylight Saving Time (DST) was initially introduced during World War One to conserve electricity and fuel. While it was unpopular with farmers and repealed after the war, it returned during World War Two, with legislation standardising clock-changing across the country passing in 1966. However, some states, including Hawaii and Arizona, and US territories such as Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, have opted out of DST.
Despite its broad support, the proposal for permanent DST faces criticism. Opponents highlight that it would lead to darker winter mornings, potentially increasing hazards for drivers during early commute hours. Furthermore, proponents of maintaining standard time argue that more morning light offers health benefits, including improved sleep cycles. Globally, only about a third of countries observe some form of daylight saving time, with the majority located in Europe.
With the House's approval, the focus now shifts to the Senate, where an identical piece of legislation, also named the Sunshine Protection Act, was introduced by Florida Republican Rick Scott in January 2025. The Senate could soon take up its version of the bill, bringing the US closer to a potential end to the tradition of changing clocks.