Legislation to end twice-yearly clock change faces uncertain future in Senate
By Maya Davis
The House Tuesday passed legislation supported by President Trump to make daylight-saving time permanent year-round, advancing a longstanding effort to end the twice-a-year time switch nationwide.
The Sunshine Protection Act of 2025, sponsored by Rep. Vern Buchanan (R., Fla.), was approved by a vote of 308 to 117. Most Republicans supported the measure while Democrats were split, with roughly 44% opposing it.
If passed in the Senate, Americans would no longer change their clocks every March and November. The nation would remain on daylight-saving time throughout the year, meaning later sunsets but darker mornings during the winter months.
Only 12% of U.S. adults favor the current system, according to an October poll by AP-NORC, with 47% opposed and 40% neutral.
Trump has criticized the twice-yearly clock switching, positioning the bill as a cost-saving win for Republican lawmakers.
“I am going to work very hard to see The Sunshine Protection Act signed into Law,” he posted to Truth Social in May. “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.”
In a debate on the House floor Tuesday, proponents said ending the clock change would stop a disruptive ritual and give families more evening daylight. Opponents argued that permanent daylight-saving time would lead to unhealthy, dark winter mornings and that the bill was rushed to the floor without proper debate.
Many states have passed legislation or resolutions to move to permanent daylight-saving time, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. But federal law didn’t previously allow such a move.
States that already opt out of daylight-saving time, such as most of Arizona and Hawaii, could stay on standard time if the House bill becomes law. Lawmakers in Arizona have argued having an extra hour of evening sunlight would increase extreme heat and energy consumption.
The bill now heads to the Senate. “We’ll see what happens when it gets here,” said Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso (R., Wyo.).
Previous measures in the chamber have faced headwinds. The Senate passed the Sunshine Protection Act in 2022, which stalled in the House and never became law. Lawmakers brought the act forward in October 2025, but Sen. Tom Cotton (R., Ark.) blocked the measure, saying it would “again make winter a dark and dismal time for millions of Americans.”
Appeared in the July 15, 2026, print edition as 'House Passes Daylight- Saving Time Bill'.
