The House of Representatives passed the Sunshine Protection Act on Tuesday in a 308-117 vote, moving to end the twice-yearly ritual of changing clocks. The legislation, which would make daylight saving time permanent nationwide, now faces an uncertain path in the Senate, where previous attempts at similar reforms have stalled.
Rep. Vern Buchanan and the Sunshine Protection Act
Legislative Momentum and the Path to the Senate
The bipartisan vote in the House marks a significant step for proponents of the Sunshine Protection Act, a measure authored by Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla. The bill would lock the country into the time currently observed from March to November unless a state exempted itself before the act took effect. Rep. Scott DesJarlais, R-Tenn., who presided over the vote on the House floor, marked the occasion by playing The Beatles’ “Here Comes the Sun” on his phone as he read the final tally.
President Donald Trump’s Advocacy for Permanent Daylight Saving Time
The proposal has received a major boost from President Donald Trump, who has publicly advocated for the change. In a post on Truth Social on May 21, the President stated he was “going to work very hard to see The Sunshine Protection Act signed into Law.” Trump further wrote, “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. It will also be a very nice WIN for the Republican Party. Take it!” The White House also circulated an internal memo to congressional offices on Tuesday describing the bill as a “popular, common-sense reform.”
Despite the House approval, the legislation faces a complex political landscape in the Senate. A Senate version of the Sunshine Protection Act stalled last year after Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., objected to fast-tracking the bill’s passage via unanimous consent in October. Cotton expressed concerns that permanent daylight saving time could lead to overlooked negative consequences, pointing to parts of the country where the sun wouldn’t rise until 9 a.m. or later and citing potentially dangerous, dark morning commutes and workers who would need to work early mornings without sun. Cotton’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether he would object to potential quick passage of the bill in the Senate this time around.
Sen. Tom Cotton’s Objections to Permanent Daylight Saving Time
Divergent Views and Legislative Opposition
Proponents of the bill argue that the current system is an outdated disruption. Rep. Kat Cammack, R-Fla., emphasized the frustration caused by the clock changes, stating, “For decades, we have accepted this ritual of springing forward and falling back, even though it disrupts routines, throws off our sleep and creates unnecessary frustration for families across the country.” Detailing how the changes disrupted her own infant son’s sleep schedule, Cammack added, “Let’s stop asking Americans to reset their clocks every March and November. Let’s provide some certainty and consistency and a little more sunshine at the end of the day.”
The legislation divided lawmakers in both parties. Members largely from coastal areas, such as Louisiana, Florida, and New Jersey, supported the move, while others from the Midwest and agriculture-heavy states opposed it. Democrats were nearly evenly split, with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., opposing the measure. Additionally, 22 Republicans voted in opposition, including Reps. Bryan Steil, R-Wis.; Rick Crawford, R-Ark.; Ryan Zinke, R-Mont.; and Harriet Hageman, R-Wyo.
President Richard Nixon’s 1970s Energy Crisis Legislation
Historical Context and Public Opinion
Congress has attempted to tackle the issue before; in 2022, the Senate voted to make daylight saving time permanent by unanimous consent, but that measure failed to advance in the House. Historically, in the 1970s, President Richard Nixon signed into law a bill that would have made daylight saving time the norm for two years to conserve energy during the oil crisis. That legislation was repealed after less than a year because Americans disapproved of the dark early mornings.
According to a 2025 AP-NORC poll, changing the clock twice a year is unpopular among Americans, though opinions about how to change the system are divided. Currently, nearly every state follows the practice of setting clocks forward one hour in March to preserve more evening daylight before “falling back” one hour in November. However, 19 states have already enacted legislation to stop the biannual time changes if Congress authorizes the practice. Hawaii and most of Arizona do not observe daylight saving time.
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