House passes Sunshine Protection Act to make daylight saving time permanent

WASHINGTON, DC: The House passed legislation Tuesday, July 14, to make daylight saving time permanent across the United States, sending the measure to the Senate in a bipartisan 308-117 vote backed by the White House, which said it would recommend President Trump sign the bill if it reaches his desk.

Daylight saving time is that period between spring and fall when clocks in most parts of the United States are set one hour ahead of standard time.

Supporters say change eliminates 'unnecessary disruption'

The bill, called the Sunshine Protection Act, would end the twice-yearly practice of setting clocks forward in spring and back in fall, locking the country permanently into daylight saving time and giving Americans an extra hour of evening daylight year-round.

States could opt out of the permanent change if their legislatures act to do so before the bill takes effect.

The Senate would also have to pass the bill before it could be signed into law, but it’s unclear if it will do so.

Rep Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla, said Americans are ready to “ditch the switch,” saying that changing the clock twice a year creates unnecessary disruption.

More importantly, he said, it would give families more daylight time in the evening to spend outdoors and support local businesses.

“In my home state of Florida where tourism is a cornerstone of our economy, having more predictable daylight hours is a practical improvement that benefits workers, businesses and visitors alike,” Bilirakis said.

The White House weighed in before the vote, calling the legislation a "popular, common-sense reform" and saying presidential advisers would recommend Trump sign it into law.

Proponents of the change have long argued that more evening daylight encourages people to spend time outdoors, supports local businesses and improves quality of life for working families.

A 2025 Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll found that if forced to choose, most Americans would prefer to keep the extra hour of daylight in the evening, with 56% favoring permanent daylight saving time and roughly 4 in 10 preferring standard time.

Critics warn of darker, more dangerous winter mornings

Detractors said permanent daylight saving time would lead to darker and potentially more hazardous winter mornings where children will be waiting for school buses and parents will be driving to work in darkness.

“Millions of Americans will wake up during the winter months in complete darkness with the sun not rising until long after people get up and travel to school or work or have to go about their days,” said Rep Mary Gay Scanlon, D-Pa.

Rep Jim McGovern, D-Mass, said he supported the bill, but he questioned whether it was the best way for Congress to be spending its time.

“For folks getting crushed by rent, groceries, utility bills and healthcare costs, is this really the best the majority can do?” McGovern said. “Is this really the most pressing issue before the American people at this moment?”

The Sunshine Protection Act now heads to the Senate, where its fate is uncertain. A similar bill passed the Senate four years ago but stalled in the House.

Whether the Senate will take it up again and move it to Trump's desk in the current session remains unclear, despite the strong bipartisan House margin.