Legislators Advance Bill to Make Daylight Saving Time Permanent

(SeaPRwire) –   Republicans are once again seeking to establish Daylight Saving Time as the year-round standard, with President Donald Trump vowing to spearhead efforts to end the long-standing U.S. practice of changing clocks twice annually.

The most recent legislative effort moved forward after the House Energy and Commerce Committee incorporated the proposal into a broader transportation bill, which was approved by the committee on Thursday and is now headed to the full House for consideration.

“Big Vote today (48-1!) in the Energy and Commerce Committee on a Bill including The Sunshine Protection Act, which will be making Daylight Saving Time Permanent!” Trump posted. “This is so important in that Hundreds of Millions of Dollars are spent every year by people, Cities, and States, being forced to change their Clocks.”

Trump stated he would work “very hard” to ensure the act becomes law, calling it a victory for the Republican Party.

“It’s 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,” Trump added. “We are going with the far more popular alternative, Saving Daylight, which gives you a longer, brighter Day — And who can be against that — This is an easy one!”

In 2022, the Senate approved a bill to make Daylight Saving Time permanent nationwide, but it failed to advance in the House. The current Senate version was introduced by Sen. Rick Scott (R, Fla.). Rep. Vern Buchanan (R, Fla.), who has previously sponsored similar legislation and is backing the current House bill, stated that ending the biannual clock change “is a commonsense reform that will improve everyday life for millions of Americans.”

Buchanan noted in his statement that the House version of the Sunshine Protection Act was successfully reviewed and will proceed to the House floor as part of the Motor Vehicle Modernization Act. If passed, it would then need Senate approval before being signed into law by Trump.

Is DST popular?

Public opinion generally favors ending clock changes. An October 2025 AP-NORC national poll found that nearly half of Americans oppose switching clocks twice a year, while only 12% support the practice. A YouGov survey conducted earlier this year revealed that roughly two-thirds of Americans want the biannual time shift abolished.

However, disagreement remains over which time standard should replace it. The AP-NORC poll showed that 56% prefer permanent Daylight Saving Time—resulting in darker mornings and brighter evenings—while 42% favor permanent standard time, which provides more morning light and less in the evening. The YouGov survey indicated stronger support for year-round Daylight Saving Time and found that most Americans would prefer it to get dark later in the day.

Under current federal law, states may opt out of Daylight Saving Time through state legislation. Hawaii and most of Arizona do not observe the time change and remain on standard time year-round. However, states are not permitted to adopt permanent Daylight Saving Time without federal authorization.

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 19 states have passed laws to adopt year-round Daylight Saving Time, contingent on congressional approval, with some requiring neighboring states to make the same change.

Support for permanent Daylight Saving Time is strongest in coastal regions such as Florida, where residents seek extended evening daylight, while opposition is more common in central parts of the country concerned about delayed sunrises. In October, Sen. Tom Cotton (R, Ark.) signaled he would oppose making Daylight Saving Time permanent, warning it would “again make winter a dark and dismal time for millions of Americans,” noting that in some areas, sunrise might not occur until 9 a.m.

Trump has long advocated for ending the clock-switching practice. In 2019, he said he would be “OK” with making Daylight Saving Time permanent. After winning the 2024 election, he pledged that Republicans would move to eliminate the biannual change.

Last year, upon returning to the White House, he acknowledged the divisive nature of the issue, noting an “even” split in public opinion. “I assume people would like to have more light later, but some people want to have more light earlier because they don’t want to take their kids to school in the dark,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office in March 2025. “And it’s very much, it’s a little bit one way, but it’s very much a 50-50 issue.”

This is not the first time permanent Daylight Saving Time has been proposed. During World War II, clocks were moved forward an hour in 1942 under the name “War Time” and reverted after the war. In 1974, amid an energy crisis, the U.S. adopted year-round Daylight Saving Time, but public backlash grew as parents raised concerns about increased traffic risks for children due to later sunrises. The policy was reversed within months. Health experts have also noted that permanent standard time offers greater health and safety benefits compared to permanent Daylight Saving Time.