The US House of Representatives passed the Sunshine Protection Act on Tuesday, voting 308 to 117 to keep daylight saving time all year and eliminate the biannual clock changes that have been a staple of American life for decades. This would mean that from March to November the country would operate on what is now called permanent standard time, with no need to adjust clocks twice a year.
House Speaker Scott DesJarlais presided over the vote and even played a clip of The Beatles’ ‘Here Comes the Sun’ from his phone as the final count took place. The move reflects years of bipartisan support for a permanent schedule, a promise that President Donald Trump made during his first term in office.
Florida Republican Vern Buchanan introduced the bill in January 2025, arguing that clock changes disrupt people’s schedules without any real benefit. His fellow Republican, Rick Scott, introduced a version of the bill in the Senate last year. After the House passes the legislation, the Senate is expected to move forward with the same act.
Daylight saving time, which was first adopted during World War One to conserve fuel, was dropped after the war because farmers opposed it, only to be reinstated during World War Two. A federal law in 1966 standardized clock changes across the country but some states—Hawaii, Arizona, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands—opted out of the system.
Proponents hope the permanent schedule will save energy and simplify daily life, while critics warn that darker mornings in winter could increase the risk of car accidents and disturb sleep cycles. Some studies suggest that morning light improves sleep quality, and research in Europe indicates that only a minority of countries worldwide follow daylight saving practices.
