Congress set to vote on bill to make daylight saving time permanent nationwide
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Lawmakers will consider the Sunshine Protection Act, which would eliminate the annual clock change and keep daylight saving time year-round, while opponents warn of health and safety impacts.
The House is scheduled to vote this week on the Sunshine Protection Act, a bipartisan proposal that would end the November “fall back” and keep daylight saving time in effect year-round across the United States. The bill, authored by Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.), would allow states that currently do not observe daylight saving time, such as Arizona and Hawaii, to remain on permanent standard time, and would require other states to decide whether to opt out before the law takes effect.
Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) co-sponsors the Senate version, SB 29, and has argued that more daylight after work benefits business and community safety. President Trump has expressed support for the measure. The proposal follows a similar effort in 2022 that passed the Senate but stalled in the House.
Opposition comes from both parties. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) warned that permanent daylight saving time could delay sunrise to as late as 9 a.m. in winter for northern and western regions, raising safety concerns for schoolchildren. Rep. Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-Calif.) said she will vote against the bill, citing medical experts who say permanent daylight saving time may harm health, and she backs an alternative bill that would make permanent standard time the default.
Experts on circadian rhythms, such as Stanford physiologist Jamie Zeitzer, note that the spring-forward shift disrupts sleep and is linked to higher rates of traffic accidents and cardiovascular events. Zeitzer argues that permanent standard time better aligns with natural light cycles.
Public opinion appears to favor ending the twice-annual clock change; a 2025 AP-NORC poll found only 12% of adults support the current system. Business groups are divided, with some chambers of commerce favoring longer evening daylight, while agricultural interests and golf course owners oppose losing morning light.
If enacted, the legislation would represent the latest attempt to resolve the long-standing debate over U.S. timekeeping, building on prior state initiatives such as California’s Proposition 7 and recent bills seeking permanent standard time.