US House to Vote on Making Daylight Saving Time Permanent

The U.S. House of Representatives is set to vote next week on legislation to make Daylight Saving Time (DST) permanent, according to a notice posted Thursday. The move revives a long-running debate over the merits of the nation's twice-yearly clock changes.

Legislative Path

The bill, known as the Sunshine Protection Act, advanced out of the House Energy and Commerce Committee in May with a strong bipartisan vote of 48-1. The legislation would allow states to opt out of the change if they choose.

A similar measure was passed unanimously by the U.S. Senate in March 2022 but was never brought to a vote in the House. If the current bill passes the House, it would need to be taken up again by the Senate before it could be sent to the president.

Arguments For and Against

Supporters of the bill argue that ending the time shift has significant public health and economic benefits. Proponents cite studies linking the change to sleep disturbances, increased workplace injuries, and more car accidents. They also contend that brighter evenings would boost economic activity.

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• Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ) stated that permanent DST is "better for safety and will boost New Jersey’s tourism industry."
• Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL), who has introduced the bill since 2018, noted its popularity in his state for allowing more evening recreation.

However, the proposal faces opposition from lawmakers concerned about the impact of late sunrises during winter months. Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) has previously argued that permanent DST would force children to go to school in the dark across much of the country.

Historical Context

Daylight Saving Time has been observed in nearly all of the United States since the 1960s. A previous attempt to establish year-round DST was enacted in 1974 as an energy-saving measure during the oil crisis.

The experiment proved to be deeply unpopular with the public, largely due to concerns about dark winter mornings, and Congress repealed the law later that same year. This historical precedent highlights the challenges the current bill may face in gaining broad public acceptance.