Donald Trump speaking to reporters from the Oval Office.
WASHINGTON, D.C – President Donald Trump has voiced support for making Daylight Saving Time (DST) permanent, supporting lawmakers like Senators Rick Scott (R-FL) and Patty Murray (D-WA), who argue that ending biannual clock changes would reduce inconvenience and economic costs.
“It’s time to end the nonsense back and forth of changing the clocks twice a year,” Scott posted on X. “Locking the clock is a common-sense change that benefits Americans and makes their lives easier. It’s time to make it happen and pass my Sunshine Protection Act!”
In 2018, then-Governor Rick Scott signed Florida’s Sunshine Protection Act, aiming to adopt year-round DST and eliminate clock changes, including the “spring forward” shift. However, the law remains inactive because the federal Uniform Time Act of 1966 requires congressional approval for states to implement permanent DST. States can opt for permanent standard time without federal consent, but year-round DST needs Washington’s green light.
Now a U.S. Senator, Rick Scott is championing a national solution. On January 7, 2025, he introduced the Sunshine Protection Act (S. 29) in the 119th Congress (2025–2026), co-sponsored by a bipartisan group including Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), and Ed Markey (D-MA). A companion bill, H.R. 139, was introduced by Representative Vern Buchanan (R-FL) on January 3, 2025. If passed, these bills would make DST the permanent standard time across the U.S., effective November 2026, eliminating the need to adjust clocks.
As of April 12, 2025, both bills remain in committee—S. 29 in the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and H.R. 139 in the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. On April 10, 2025, the Senate committee held a hearing to discuss the issue, with testimony from experts like sleep researchers and industry representatives. No floor votes are scheduled, and the bills face hurdles due to competing priorities and regional objections. In 2022, a similar bill passed the Senate unanimously but stalled in the House, reflecting ongoing challenges in reaching consensus.
Without congressional action, most of the U.S.—excluding areas like Hawaii and most of Arizona, which observe permanent standard time—will continue to “spring forward” on March 8, 2026, under current law.
Trump’s position on DST has shifted over time. In December 2024, he posted on Truth Social that the Republican Party would work to eliminate DST, calling it “inconvenient, and very costly to our Nation.” However, in March 2025, he described the issue as “50/50” during an Oval Office press interaction, noting public division: “I assume people would like to have more light later, but some people want to have more light earlier because they don’t want to take their kids to school in the dark.”
On April 11, 2025, Trump reiterated his support for permanent DST on Truth Social, writing, “The House and Senate should push hard for more Daylight at the end of a day. Very popular and, most importantly, no more changing of the clocks, a big inconvenience and, for our government, A VERY COSTLY EVENT!!!” This followed the Senate committee hearing, suggesting renewed momentum.
Daylight Saving Time began in Europe during World War I to conserve energy and was adopted in the U.S. in 1918 under the Standard Time Act. Contrary to popular belief, Benjamin Franklin did not propose DST. His famous quote, “Early to bed, and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise,” from Poor Richard’s Almanac, reflects general advice on fertility, not time policy. The U.S. repealed national DST in 1919 due to public opposition, particularly from farmers, but many states later reintroduced it. The Uniform Time Act of 1966 standardized DST’s start and end dates, allowing states to opt out entirely.
The correct term is “Daylight Saving Time,” without an “s.” The misnomer “Daylight Savings Time” is a common error in American English, likely due to the plural sounding natural in casual speech.
The biannual clock shifts, particularly the “spring forward” in March, can disrupt sleep and health. Studies associate the start of DST with a 6–8% increase in strokes and a 10–24% rise in heart attacks in the days following the change, attributed to circadian rhythm disruption. Sleep experts, including the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, argue that permanent standard time aligns better with human biology, as it matches natural light cycles. However, permanent DST supporters tout economic benefits, like increased evening activity, though evidence on energy savings is mixed.
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