The US House of Representatives is preparing to debate legislation that could permanently end the practice of changing clocks twice a year. Lawmakers are considering two different proposals, with one seeking to make daylight saving time permanent and another advocating for permanent standard time across the United States.
The House Rules Committee is scheduled to review the legislation before it moves to a full House vote later this week. One of the leading proposals, the Sunshine Protection Act, would establish year round daylight saving time, eliminating the need to move clocks forward in spring and back in autumn. The bill previously received overwhelming support in the House Energy and Commerce Committee and was unanimously approved by the Senate in 2022, although it never became law after failing to advance in the House.
Supporters of permanent daylight saving time argue that ending the twice yearly clock changes would reduce sleep disruption, lower the risk of traffic accidents, decrease workplace injuries, and encourage more evening economic activity during the winter months. They believe eliminating seasonal time changes would improve daily routines for millions of Americans.
However, another bipartisan proposal, the Sunshine for Our Kids Act, would instead make standard time permanent while allowing individual states to adopt daylight saving time if they choose. Representatives Pat Harrigan and Mary Gay Scanlon argue that permanent standard time better aligns with natural sunlight and supports healthier circadian rhythms, especially for school children and morning commuters.
President Donald Trump has repeatedly called for ending the twice yearly clock changes, adding momentum to the ongoing debate. Despite growing political support, the proposal still faces opposition in the Senate. Critics, including Senator Tom Cotton, warn that permanent daylight saving time could result in very late winter sunrises, forcing many children to travel to school before daylight.
The United States has experimented with year round daylight saving time in the past, including during World War II and again in 1974 as an energy saving measure. However, public dissatisfaction with dark winter mornings led Congress to repeal the policy later that same year.
