US House Passes Permanent Daylight Savings Bill: Here's What We Know

The US House of Representatives on Tuesday (local time) passed a bill that would make daylight saving time permanent across the country, speeding up a long-running effort to end the twice-yearly clock changes.

The DST bill, known as the Sun Protection Act, passed the House by a vote of 308-117. The legislation still needs to be approved by the Senate before it can be signed into law, although it is unclear whether the upper chamber will pass the bill. Reports indicate that the US Senate passed a similar measure in 2022; However, the House never adopted it.

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What is Daylight Savings Time? What does the bill propose?

Daylight saving time is the period between spring and fall when clocks in most parts of the United States are set one hour ahead of standard time. Under the proposal, states with exemptions in place before the federal law took effect would continue to observe standard time. Hawaii and most of Arizona currently remain on standard time year-round, CBS News reported.

Trump’s stance on daylight saving time

US President Donald Trump’s position on this issue has changed over the years, demanding both a shortening of daylight saving time and its permanence. Earlier this May, after the legislation passed the House Energy and Commerce Committee, the US president said he would sign the bill if it reached his desk.

In a social media post at the time, he said: “It’s time for people to stop fearing ‘The Hour’, not to mention all the work and money that goes into this ridiculous bi-annual production.”

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Here’s how lawmakers responded to the proposed bill

Gus Bilirakis, a Republican lawmaker from Florida, noted that Americans are ready to “throw the switch,” adding that the twice-yearly clock change causes disruption. He noted that his permanent would allow American families to have more daylight in the evening.

Bilirakis said, “In my home state of Florida, where tourism is a cornerstone of our economy, having more predictable daylight hours is a practical improvement that benefits workers, businesses and visitors alike.”

Supporters of the bill, including the White House, argued that the change would provide more daylight during the times when Americans are most active, CBS News reported. Supporters further suggested that the change would have positive effects on sleep patterns, people’s health and the country’s economy. It would also allow Americans to have more daylight hours in the evening. But critics say the longer darkness during winter mornings could have a negative impact on health and safety.

What would Americans choose?

The AP cited a 2025 poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research that said if forced to choose, most Americans would prefer to keep an extra hour of daylight in the evening.

If a uniform system were to be implemented nationwide, a majority of U.S. adults, 56 percent, said they would prefer to maintain daylight saving time year-round, which provides more daylight in the evening and less in the morning. About four in 10 respondents preferred permanent standard time, which offers brighter mornings but earlier sunsets.

When was daylight saving time enacted?

Congress first instituted daylight saving time in 1918 as a wartime measure to conserve energy during World War I. This policy was reinstated during World War II. In 1973, lawmakers temporarily adopted year-round daylight saving time, but rescinded the change within months after it drew widespread public criticism. The current system, whereby daylight saving time begins on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November, was established under President George W. Bush.