The annual ritual of “spring forward, fall back” may soon be a thing of the past. The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a measure to make daylight saving time permanent. The bill would eliminate a practice that many see as inconvenient, but both parties remain divided on the issue, with proponents saying the change would be more convenient and benefit Americans’ mental health, while critics warn that the change has been tried before and failed because of safety and logistical concerns.
House votes to keep daylight saving time year-round
The House of Representatives on Tuesday voted to approve the Sunshine Protection Act, a bill that would make daylight saving time permanent nationwide. The bill easily passed the House in a 308-117 vote.
Currently, daylight saving time operates in the United States for most of the year, from the second Sunday in March until the first Sunday in November, while standard time is observed during the late fall and winter months.
The Sunshine Protection Act would eliminate standard time, meaning Americans would no longer have to change their clocks twice a year.
Under the current system, some parts of the country—including Hawaii, most of Arizona and U.S. territories including Puerto Rico—do not observe daylight saving time.
The Sunshine Protection Act would allow states to opt out of daylight saving time and instead observe standard time year-round if they pass such a measure before the federal law takes effect.
Daylight saving time proposal divides experts and lawmakers
Though the Sunshine Protection Act passed the House easily, the measure divided both parties, with 22 Republicans and 95 Democrats voting against it.
Proponents argue that permanent daylight saving time would improve health outcomes, including by maintaining more consistent sleep schedules, and reduce evening crime. Opponents, meanwhile, cite separate health and safety concerns, including the possibility that children would be more vulnerable to accidents while traveling to school in darker morning hours.
Several Republicans representing Florida, which stands to benefit economically from the change because of its impact on tourism and other industries, vocally supported the bill.
“This is not about politics,” said Florida Republican Rep. Gus Bilirakis. “This is about practicality. It is about recognizing that our laws should keep pace with the people we represent.”
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., was among the House members who opposed the bill. In response to MSNBC journalist Jonathan Lemire posting “Do not do this” about the proposed change, Ocasio-Cortez replied, “I voted no,” along with a crying-laughing emoji.
Support from Trump, opposition within the Senate
If the Senate passes the Sunshine Protection Act, President Donald Trump has indicated that he will sign it into law.
“I am going to work very hard to see The Sunshine Protection Act signed into Law,” Trump posted on social media. “It’s time that people can stop worrying about the ‘Clock,’ not to mention all of the work and money that is spent on this ridiculous, twice yearly production.”
Trump also said passing the law would “also be a very nice WIN for the Republican Party.”
However, opposition in the Senate, including from within Trump’s own party, could prevent the bill from advancing.
Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., blocked a version of the Sunshine Protection Act in 2025 over concerns about the safety of early-morning workers and commuters. A senior Capitol Hill aide told NBC News that Cotton has the “same concerns” about the current version of the bill.
The aide indicated that Cotton was urging Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., to again block the bill from coming to a vote and said senators from both parties oppose the legislation.
If Cotton and others succeed, it would mark the latest setback for supporters of permanent daylight saving time, which was previously enacted during the Nixon administration but quickly repealed after complaints about dark winter mornings.
Many Americans support ending the twice-yearly clock changes, but experts note that previous attempts to make daylight saving time permanent lost public support after implementation. With the Senate divided on the measure, it remains unclear whether the U.S. will end the practice of changing clocks each spring and fall.