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US Congress takes next step to make daylight saving time permanent

July 15, 2026

The US House of Representatives has approved the Sunshine Protection Act with a bipartisan 308-117 vote, advancing legislation that would eliminate the twice-yearly clock changes Americans currently observe. The bill would establish permanent daylight saving time nationwide, maintaining the time schedule currently used from March through November throughout the entire year. While the House has passed the measure, its fate in the Senate remains unclear, with Senate leadership expressing uncertainty about its prospects in the upper chamber.

Who is affected

  • All Americans nationwide (except those in Hawaii, Arizona, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands who already don't observe daylight saving time changes)
  • President Donald Trump (who has pledged support for ending clock changes)
  • Republican Representative Vern Buchanan of Florida (who introduced the House bill)
  • Republican Senator Rick Scott of Florida (who introduced the Senate version)
  • Senator John Barrasso (the number-two Republican in the Senate)
  • Republican Scott DesJarlais (who presided over the House vote)
  • Critics concerned about darker winter mornings and health impacts

What action is being taken

  • The US House of Representatives has voted to pass the Sunshine Protection Act
  • The Senate is expected to take up its version of the bill (though timing and outcome are uncertain)

Why it matters

  • The legislation would end over a century of clock-changing practice in the United States, eliminating the disruption to schedules and work that occurs twice annually. The change affects daily routines, sleep patterns, and work schedules for hundreds of millions of Americans. The debate highlights competing priorities between convenience and potential safety and health concerns, particularly regarding darker winter mornings that could create hazardous driving conditions and disrupt natural circadian rhythms. Additionally, only about one-third of countries worldwide practice daylight saving time, making this a significant policy alignment decision for the US.

What's next

  • The Senate could soon take up its version of the Sunshine Protection Act (though Senator John Barrasso indicated uncertainty about what will happen when it reaches the Senate)

Read full article from source: BBC