President Donald Trump is urging the Senate to make daylight saving time permanent, by supporting legislation that would eliminate the twice-yearly clock changes. In a Truth Social post, he asked lawmakers to pass the “NO MORE CHANGING THE CLOCKS ACT.” Trump argues that more evening daylight may help fight crime while criticizing the tradition of adjusting clocks.
Legislative Progress
The initiative follows the House’s passage of the Sunshine Protection Act, H.R. 139, which was approved with a bipartisan vote of 308-117 on July 14. This bill aims to establish permanent daylight saving time across the majority of the country. The next step involves the Senate, where the bill was sent on July 15 and referred to the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee.
The Senate is currently on recess and will reconvene on September 14. If H.R. 139 encounters no objections, it could be passed by unanimous consent. However, any objection would necessitate 60 votes to overcome a filibuster and move the bill towards a final vote.
Potential Obstacles
There is opposition to the bill. Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas has voiced concerns, citing potential drawbacks such as darker winter mornings affecting children and workers. Senator Cotton, alongside other Republicans like Ted Budd, Deb Fischer, and Democrats including Lisa Blunt Rochester and Tammy Duckworth, have expressed resistance to the proposal. Newsweek has reached out to Senator Cotton for a comment.
Timeframe for Change
If the Senate approves the bill unamended and President Trump signs it before November 1, the clock adjustments scheduled for November may not occur. This leaves the Senate with 48 days after its return to pass the bill.
Any amendments by the Senate would necessitate further consideration by the House, tightening the deadline. If the bill fails to clear the Senate by November, the current laws remain in effect, requiring clocks to be set back an hour.
President Trump’s Motivation
Trump has consistently advocated for ending the biannual clock change. In April 2025, he encouraged Congress to provide “more Daylight at the end of a day,” highlighting the popular appeal of the change. The House’s support renews the opportunity, gathering bipartisan backing and associated with lower crime rates, as suggested by Trump. However, there remains debate over which time should be permanent.
The Senate has previously shown capability for rapid action on this issue, passing an earlier Sunshine Protection Act version in March 2022 without opposition. That proposal, however, stalled in the House.
Details of Daylight Saving Time
Daylight saving time starts in most of the U.S. on the second Sunday in March, with clocks set forward by one hour to shift daylight to the evening. It ends on the first Sunday in November, reverting to standard time.
Federal law governs the practice, but states and territories can opt out of observing DST. Hawaii and most of Arizona do not observe DST, although the Navajo Nation within Arizona does. Other territories like Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands also stick to standard time year-round.