President Trump has called on Congress to enact legislation that would make daylight saving time a permanent fixture in the United States, potentially resolving the long-standing debate regarding the biannual time change. On Friday morning, Trump urged both the House and Senate to “push hard for more Daylight at the end of a day” in a post on Truth Social, emphasizing the popularity of the idea and the inconvenience and cost associated with clock changes.
This statement from Trump arrives amidst ongoing congressional efforts to establish permanent daylight saving time. The Sunshine Protection Act, reintroduced in January by Florida Republicans Rep. Vern Buchanan and Sen. Rick Scott, seeks to achieve this goal. Former Florida Senator Marco Rubio initially introduced the bill in 2018 and brought it up again in 2021. The Senate passed the legislation in 2022, but it did not progress to a vote in the House.
Currently, all states except Hawaii and Arizona observe daylight saving time. Certain U.S. territories, including American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands, also refrain from adjusting their clocks.
Despite Trump’s prior support for the change, as evidenced by a 2019 tweet asserting his approval of making it permanent, he appeared to adopt a more neutral stance earlier this March. He described the issue as “50/50,” highlighting differing public opinions on whether increased evening or morning daylight was preferable.
The topic of daylight saving time was also discussed during a recent Senate hearing. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas criticized the biannual time change as an “outdated and harmful practice,” citing reduced energy costs due to technological advances since the early 20th century. Cruz pointed to potential negative impacts on productivity, mental health, and well-being due to disruptions in sleep patterns.
Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester from Delaware echoed these concerns, stating that the time changes adversely affect Americans and emphasizing the need for a resolution. While some in the medical community argue against biannual time changes, they also caution that permanent daylight saving time may not be the optimal solution.
Dr. Karin Johnson, the medical director of the Baystate Regional Sleep Medicine Program, has previously advocated for permanent standard time, asserting that it aligns more closely with the sun and benefits overall health and well-being.
