Daylight-saving time set to end on Halloween weekend as legislation stalls

Daylight saving time is scheduled to end at 2 a.m. local time on Sunday, Nov. 1, when clocks are set back one hour to 1 a.m. The shift will give Americans an extra hour of sleep and will not affect Halloween activities on Oct. 31, which will be completed before the change takes effect. Because the clock change falls on the same weekend as Halloween—a rare overlap not seen since 2020—it will allow those celebrating the holiday an additional hour of evening darkness.

President Donald Trump, who has advocated for ending the twice-yearly clock changes, criticized the Senate on Oct. 26 for not advancing the Sunshine Protection Act, a bill that would make daylight saving time permanent. > "The United States Senate is letting the Daylight Saving Bill die, when a vast Majority of the Country want it," Trump wrote on Truth Social. He added that most people want consistent evening light and called for a vote.

The Sunshine Protection Act, introduced by Rep. Vern Buchanan and passed by the House in July, remains pending in the Senate. Senate Majority Leader John Thune has indicated uncertainty about sufficient support among senators. No Senate vote has been scheduled, and it is unclear whether the chamber will consider the bill after its extended recess ends on Nov. 6.

Public opinion polls show a majority of Americans favor ending the clock changes. A 2023 YouGov survey reported 62% support, while a January 2025 Gallup poll found 54% in favor. Preferences are split between permanent daylight saving time, which would provide more evening daylight, and permanent standard time, which would increase morning light during winter. In March 2025, a poll conducted on X by a department official received 58% of respondents favoring later daylight and 42% favoring earlier daylight.