House Approves Permanent Daylight Saving Time Bill

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., would eliminate the biannual time shift and allow states to opt out before the change takes effect. President Donald Trump has publicly endorsed the measure, writing on Truth Social in May that he would "work very hard to see The Sunshine Protection Act signed into Law."

Rep. Scott DesJarlais, R-Tenn., who presided over the vote, played the Beatles' "Here Comes the Sun" on his phone as he announced the final tally. The legislation now moves to the Senate, where a similar bill stalled last year after Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., objected to fast-tracking it.

Cotton has argued that permanent daylight saving time could delay sunrise until after 9 a.m. in some regions, making morning commutes more dangerous and forcing people to start work in darkness. A senior Capitol Hill aide said Tuesday that Cotton still holds those concerns and plans to urge Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., not to bring the bill to a vote.

Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., voiced support for the measure but expressed doubt about its prospects in the Senate. "See if the Senate takes it up. They probably won't, but we'll see," he said. Rep. Rich McCormick, R-Ga., cited mental health benefits and cost savings as reasons for backing the bill.

A 2025 AP-NORC poll found that most Americans dislike the twice-yearly clock changes, but opinions remain split on which time to adopt permanently. Congress has attempted similar legislation before; in 2022, the Senate passed a version unanimously, but it failed to clear the House.