House Passes Bill Making Daylight Saving Time Permanent

The House of Representatives voted 308-117 on Tuesday to pass the Sunshine Protection Act, a bill that would make daylight saving time permanent and end the twice-a-year clock change that most Americans observe each March and November. Members of both parties backed the measure, though the vote did not break cleanly along party lines, with lawmakers in both parties voting for and against the bill.

Rep. Kat Cammack, R-Fla., argued on the floor that clock changes disrupt sleep and routines, saying the ritual creates "unnecessary frustration for families across the country."

President Donald Trump has pushed for ending the clock change since returning to the White House and is expected to sign the legislation if it reaches his desk. The bill now moves to the Senate, where members of both parties have expressed skepticism.

The context

Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., introduced the House version of the Sunshine Protection Act in January 2025; Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., introduced identical legislation in the Senate that same month. The United States first adopted daylight saving time during World War One to extend afternoon daylight and conserve fuel. The practice was unpopular with farmers and repealed after the war, then returned during World War Two. Congress standardized clock-changing nationwide in 1966, though Hawaii, most of Arizona, and the territories of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands opted out. In recent years, nearly 20 states have passed laws to adopt permanent daylight saving time if Congress authorizes it. Trump has publicly backed the change, writing in a May social media post that ending the switch would let people "stop worrying about the 'Clock'" and calling the twice-yearly adjustment a waste of work and money.

Why it matters

The bill would change a routine that affects nearly every American household twice a year, replacing standard time in the winter months with the schedule currently observed between March and November. Supporters say permanent daylight saving time would end sleep disruptions and provide more evening light. Critics counter that it would mean darker winter mornings, which they say could make early-hour driving more hazardous, and advocates of standard time argue morning light carries health benefits, including a better sleep cycle. With roughly 20 states already positioned to adopt the change if Congress allows it, Senate action is the main remaining hurdle at the federal level.

What’s next

The Senate could take up its version of the bill, where prospects are uncertain amid skepticism from members of both parties. Debate there is expected to center on circadian rhythm and road safety concerns. Permanent daylight saving time would require Senate passage and the president's signature to become law. No timeline for a Senate vote has been announced, and until any change takes effect, most of the country will continue shifting clocks each spring and fall.