Sunshine Protection Act moves toward House vote to end clock changes
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A bipartisan initiative to make Daylight Savings Time permanent is heading toward a housewide vote after clearing a key hurdle in the House.
On Monday, the House Rules Committee took a vote on the Sunshine Protection Act, which would allow states to enact year-round Daylight Saving Time with the option to cancel it. The committee approved the rule by a vote of 6-4.
The measure has the support of many coastal lawmakers and President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly called on Congress to make Daylight Savings Time permanent and end the twice-yearly ritual of changing the clock. This practice is currently observed by every state except Hawaii and most of Arizona.
Supporters argue that resetting clocks has adverse health effects, while permanent Daylight Saving Time would increase outdoor recreation, tourism and economic activity, among other benefits.
Representative Vern Buchanan, a Republican from Florida, attends a House Ways and Means Committee hearing in Washington, DC, on April 22, 2026. (Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
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Most Americans set their clocks forward an hour each spring to preserve more evening daylight before “stepping back” an hour in November.
“Americans overwhelmingly support this policy and want to end the practice of ‘stepping forward’ and ‘stepping back.'” Rep. Brett Guthrie, R-Ky., said in his opening statement Monday that locking the clock all year round would have positive effects on sleep schedules, energy savings, motor vehicle safety and our economy.
“In practice, this change will mean more time for people to exercise outside, visit family, attend concerts and sporting events, attract customers to retail businesses and more.”
“Floridians and Americans across the country are tired of the biennial time change, and the evidence is clear that permanent daylight saving time could improve public health, reduce traffic accidents, reduce crime and encourage more outdoor activity,” Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., the measure’s author, previously said in a May news release.
“Ending the time change is a common-sense reform that will improve the daily lives of millions of Americans,” he added.
The legislation’s momentum came after the House Energy and Commerce Committee overwhelmingly passed the measure 48-1 in May.
“It’s time for people to stop worrying about ‘The Clock,’ along with all the work and money that goes into this ridiculous twice-yearly production,” Trump wrote after the Sunshine Protection Act left committee. “It’ll also be a huge WIN for the Republican Party. Face it! We’re going to Save the Sunshine, a much more popular alternative that gives you a longer, brighter Day – And who can argue with that – It’s an easy one!”
President Donald Trump speaks to the media as he arrives at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on June 24, 2026 (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
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About 20 states have already passed legislation that would make Daylight Savings Time permanent if Congress authorizes the practice. Alabama, South Carolina, Oregon, Maine and Florida are among these places.
But opponents, including several medical organizations, argue that permanent standard time, which provides more sunlight in the morning, would be a healthier option because it would be more in line with the body’s natural circadian rhythms.
Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, D-Pa., proposed amending the bill with language from the Sunshine for Our Children Act, which she co-sponsored, which would make standard time permanent nationwide. The amendment was quickly rejected.
Scanlon argued that permanent daylight saving time would pose significant health and safety risks by leaving more Americans, especially children, in the dark during morning hours. He also noted the country’s brief experience with year-round daylight saving time in 1974; however, Congress abandoned this practice after widespread public outcry.
Rep. Nanette Barragán, D-Calif., was the only legislator to oppose the bill during the Energy and Commerce Committee markup in May, citing concerns that year-round daylight saving time could negatively impact children’s health and sleep schedules.
Some conservative lawmakers have also argued that GOP leadership should focus on what they describe as more pressing legislative issues, including legislation codifying Trump’s border security executive orders and the stalled SAVE America Act.
Rep. Keith Self, R-Texas, a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, wrote Monday: “Republicans are focusing on the little ones; they’re playing with the clock while the country burns.”
The House has already passed versions of the SAVE America Act multiple times, but the measure has struggled to overcome the Senate’s legislative filibuster.
This illustrated photo shows a clock in the background of a smartphone, indicating the time after Daylight Saving Time was implemented in Los Angeles. (Chris Delmas/Getty Images)
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The Senate unanimously passed a version of the Sunshine Protection Act of 2022, but that legislation died in the House amid opposition, including from lawmakers who expressed concerns about darker morning hours in some parts of the country during the winter months.
