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Proposal advancing in the US Congress could change the routine of clocks and end a practice adopted for decades, while research shows widespread rejection of the semi-annual change and exposes divergences over dark mornings, longer afternoons, and impacts on daily life.
The proposal seeking to make daylight saving time permanent in the United States advanced in the House of Representatives, although the change is not yet in effect and depends on further votes in Congress.
Known as the Sunshine Protection Act, the project aims to end the semi-annual clock change and keep the country on daylight saving time throughout the year.
The new push occurred on May 21, 2026, when the House Energy and Commerce Committee approved the measure and released it for analysis by the full chamber.
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According to Reuters, the vote ended in 48 votes to 1, a result that incorporated the text into a broader legislative package linked to the transportation sector.
If Congress approves the proposal and President Donald Trump signs the law, most of the United States will stop alternating between standard time and daylight saving time.
In practice, the clocks would remain one hour ahead continuously, without returning to standard time at the end of autumn, as occurs under current rules.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump celebrated the advancement of the measure and stated that he will work “very hard” to turn the project into law.
In the same statement, the president criticized the twice-yearly time change and associated the system with costs for local governments, businesses, and citizens.
Permanent daylight saving time still depends on Congress
Under current rules, daylight saving time in the United States begins on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November.
In 2026, the clocks were set forward on March 8 and are expected to return to standard time on November 1, unless a new law is approved and implemented before then.
Approval in the committee, therefore, does not mean that all clocks will be set forward again in 2026 because of the new proposal.
Until the process is concluded, the current calendar remains in effect, which already provided for the one-hour advance in March in most of the country.
The text also retains the possibility for some states to opt out of permanent daylight saving time, following their own rules already adopted in parts of the US territory.
Hawaii and most of Arizona, for example, do not participate in the semiannual change and remain on standard time throughout the year, as do some U.S. territories.
Majority Rejects Semiannual Clock Change in the U.S.
Among Americans, the semiannual clock change faces majority rejection, but the choice of definitive time still divides opinions.
A survey by the Associated Press in partnership with NORC, released in October 2025, showed that only 12% of U.S. adults support the current system of changing twice a year.
In the same survey, 56% said they preferred permanent daylight saving time, with more light in the late afternoon, while 42% advocated for the permanent adoption of standard time.
This division reveals that the rejection of the semiannual adjustment does not eliminate the conflict between those who value brighter afternoons and those who prioritize mornings with more light.
A proponent of the proposal in the House, Republican Representative Vern Buchanan of Florida, stated that ending the clock change would be a “common sense” reform for millions of Americans.
Lawmakers in favor of the measure argue that brighter afternoons can encourage outdoor activities, boost commerce, and reduce accidents during peak hours.
In coastal states and tourist regions, support is often related to the idea that light at the end of the day favors leisure, consumption, and the movement of people.
For this group, keeping daylight saving time year-round would bring predictability and reduce disruptions related to the body’s adaptation to two different times.
Dark Winter Mornings Divide Lawmakers
On the other side of the debate, critics of permanent daylight saving time argue that the measure would leave winter mornings excessively dark in various regions of the country.
This concern is more prominent in Midwestern states and in more northern areas, where sunrise already occurs late during the cold months.
Among the most well-known opponents is Republican Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas, who has blocked an attempt for quick approval of the project in the Senate.
In 2025, Cotton argued that permanent daylight saving time could repeat problems faced by the United States during a similar experiment in the 1970s.
During that period, the country temporarily adopted daylight saving time year-round, amid measures taken after the 1974 energy crisis.
The experience quickly lost support, mainly due to the dark mornings faced by students and workers, and was reversed before the initially planned deadline.
Health and Routine Enter the Debate on Fixed Time
In the field of public health, sleep specialists also differ on which model would be most suitable for the population’s routine.
Some of them advocate ending the semi-annual change due to the effects of the abrupt time change on the body’s adaptation and daily organization.
Medical entities, however, usually point to permanent standard time as the option most aligned with the natural light cycle and the human biological clock.
Despite these reservations, supporters of the Sunshine Protection Act claim that the biggest problem lies in the instability caused by changing the clocks twice a year.
For supporters, a fixed time would facilitate the organization of schools, companies, transportation, and public services, as well as reduce confusion in interstate travel and appointments.
Sunshine Protection Act Has Advanced Before Without Becoming Law
In Congress, the attempt to permanently change the clock rules did not start now and has already had previous advances without becoming law.
In 2022, the Senate approved a version of the Sunshine Protection Act by unanimous consent, but the House did not complete the vote on the proposal.
Since then, lawmakers from both parties have resumed the debate at different times, without being able to resolve the dispute between standard time and permanent daylight saving time.
The current process still requires approval in the House floor, potential advancement in the Senate, and presidential sanction before officially changing the national time system.
Even with Trump’s support and favorable committee vote, regional resistances and technical disagreements continue to influence the pace of the debate in Congress.
Until a new law is approved and implemented, the United States remains under the current daylight saving time and standard time rules.
Most of the country remains on daylight saving time until November 2026, when the clocks are set to go back one hour if no legal change is completed before that date.
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