House Votes to End Daylight Saving Time, Sending Clock Debate to Senate
The U.S. House of Representatives voted 308-117 on July 14 to pass the Sunshine Protection Act of 2025, a bipartisan bill that would make daylight saving time permanent across the United States and eliminate the twice-yearly ritual of changing clocks. The legislation now moves to the Senate, where its fate remains uncertain despite support from President Donald Trump.
The vote was notably bipartisan: 194 Republicans and 114 Democrats voted in favor, while 22 Republicans and 95 Democrats opposed, according to GovTrack.us. The bill, introduced by Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.) and co-sponsored by Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.), would lock the nation’s clocks to the time currently observed between March and November, ending the practice of “falling back” each autumn.
Why This Matters
The Sunshine Protection Act represents the most significant congressional action on daylight saving time since the Senate unexpectedly passed a similar version by unanimous consent in 2022 — only to see it stall in the House. The chambers have now reversed roles, with the House acting first and the Senate holding the key to the bill’s future.
Nineteen states have already enacted legislation to switch to year-round daylight saving time if Congress authorizes the change, according to the NY Weekly. The bill includes a flexibility provision allowing states to opt out if their legislatures pass exemption legislation before the federal law takes effect. Hawaii and most of Arizona, which already observe standard time year-round, would be unaffected.
The 1974 Precedent: A Cautionary Tale
History, however, offers a stark warning. The United States tried year-round daylight saving time once before — and the experiment collapsed within months.
In January 1974, during the OPEC oil embargo, Congress enacted the Emergency Daylight Saving Time Energy Conservation Act. Initial public support was strong at 79% in December 1973, as Newsweek reports. But the reality of dark winter mornings quickly turned public opinion. Children headed to school in pitch darkness, with some carrying flashlights to navigate their morning routes. In Washington, D.C., news reports described the predawn conditions as “jet black.”
By August 1974, public approval had plummeted to 42%. Congress reversed course in October of that year, with President Gerald Ford signing legislation that restored seasonal clock changes. As Smithsonian Magazine notes, a Senate committee report declared that the “majority of the public” had expressed “distaste” for daylight saving time in the wintertime.
Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.), the sole House member to speak in opposition during floor debate, invoked this history directly. “We aren’t voting on bills right now that would reduce the sky-high costs of food, fuel, health care, or addressing the President’s war in Iran,” she said, as reported by Fox News. “Instead, we’re considering a bill that was deadly and dangerous in the past, in the ’70s.”
Health Considerations and Regional Impact
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine has issued a position statement advocating for permanent standard time — not permanent daylight saving time — arguing it “aligns best with human circadian biology.” John Devlin, a professor at Northeastern University’s Bouvé College of Health Sciences, told Northeastern Global News that the disruption of circadian rhythms from clock changes is linked to increased risks of strokes, heart attacks, and fatal traffic accidents.
“The worst thing is to switch. The best thing is to stay on standard time, and then the middle thing is to stay on daylight saving time all the time,” Devlin said.
The impact would vary dramatically by region. Under permanent daylight saving time, winter sunrises in northern states would be significantly delayed. In New York City, the latest winter sunrise would shift from 7:20 a.m. to 8:20 a.m. In Boston, sunrise would be past 8 a.m. for two months, sometimes as late as 8:15 a.m., according to Jay Pea, president of Save Standard Time. In Utica, New York, the latest winter sunrise would reach approximately 8:30 a.m.
The Senate: An Uncertain Path
The bill’s fate now rests with the Senate, where Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) has signaled concerns. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) has raised safety objections about late winter sunrises, particularly in northern states where the sun would not rise until after 9 a.m. under permanent daylight saving time.
On the other side, Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) has called on Thune to schedule a floor vote immediately. Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) said after discussing the issue with President Trump that “he seems to be very enthusiastic about it” and predicted a vote would come soon.
A competing proposal, the Sunshine for Our Kids Act of 2026, would take the opposite approach by making standard time permanent instead — a position aligned with the American Academy of Sleep Medicine’s recommendations.
What to Watch
If the Senate acts before November 2026, Americans could see their last clock change this fall. But the 1974 experience serves as a powerful reminder that the appeal of permanent daylight saving time may fade once millions of Americans experience winter mornings that begin in darkness. The question facing the Senate is not just whether to end the clock changes — but which time to lock in permanently.
This article was based on reporting from Fox News, Northeastern Global News, NY Weekly, GovTrack.us, Newsweek, and Smithsonian Magazine.