Conservatives Push for Permanent Daylight Saving Time, Criticize Democrats’ Stalled Legislation
The debate over the pros and cons of daylight saving time continues to divide Americans, with Republicans making a new push for permanent daylight saving. Senators Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) introduced bipartisan legislation, known as S. 582 or the Sunshine Protection Act, which aims to make daylight saving permanent and add an hour to the day. While the Senate unanimously passed the bill in March 2022, it has been stalled since then.
The Sunshine Protection Act would allow states like Arizona and Hawaii, which currently do not observe daylight saving time, to remain on standard time. Additionally, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands would also have the option to opt out of daylight saving time.
Supporters of the legislation argue that the biannual ritual of changing clocks has negative impacts on the economy, energy consumption, and health. Senator Markey stated, “The antiquated biannual ritual of toggling between times isn’t just an inconvenience—it also has very real impacts on our economy, our energy consumption, and our health.” He further emphasized the need to make daylight saving permanent and pass the Sunshine Protection Act.
Senator Rubio echoed these sentiments, stating, “We’re ‘springing forward’ but should have never ‘fallen back.’ My Sunshine Protection Act would end this stupid practice of changing our clocks back and forth.” He called for an end to the practice and urged Congress to act on the legislation.
Florida Republican Senator Rick Scott also voiced his support for the bill, calling for Congress to “lock the clock.” As the former Governor of Florida, Scott signed a similar bill into law on the state level and now urges Congress to follow suit.
In the House of Representatives, Representative Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.) introduced a parallel bill, H.R. 1279, also known as the Sunshine Protection Act. This legislation seeks to make daylight saving time permanent.
While Republicans push for permanent daylight saving, President Joe Biden has not taken a stance on the issue. Former President Donald Trump, however, expressed his support for the idea back in 2019, tweeting, “Making Daylight Saving Time permanent is O.K. with me!”
According to Reuters, approximately 30 states have introduced legislation to permanently end the changing of clocks twice a year since 2015. Some states have proposed making the change only if neighboring states do the same.
Daylight saving time has been in place in nearly all the United States since the 1960s, following a trial period in 1918. It was also used year-round during World War II and readopted in 1973 to reduce fuel use.
As the push for permanent daylight saving time gains momentum, conservatives criticize Democrats for stalling the legislation. They argue that ending the practice of changing clocks back and forth would benefit the economy, energy consumption, and public health. With support from both sides of the aisle and growing public demand, the fate of the Sunshine Protection Act now lies in the hands of Congress.
