Thune Says Senate Has No Path

President Donald Trump’s effort to end America’s twice-a-year clock changes appears unlikely to become law before millions of Americans turn their clocks back this November.

The Sunshine Protection Act, which would make daylight saving time permanent across most of the country, has already won overwhelming bipartisan approval in the House of Representatives. However, the legislation continues to face uncertainty in the Senate, where supporters may not have enough votes to move the bill forward.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has raised questions about whether the proposal can secure the 60 votes generally needed to advance major legislation in the chamber.

With senators away from Washington for much of the period leading into the November 3 midterm elections, there is little time remaining for Congress to act before the scheduled clock change.

Unless lawmakers approve a change to federal law, most Americans will turn their clocks back one hour at 2 a.m. on Sunday, November 1.

Trump Wants to End the Twice-Yearly Time Change

Trump has become a vocal supporter of making daylight saving time permanent, arguing that Americans should no longer have to adjust their clocks every spring and fall.

Supporters of the proposal say keeping daylight saving time throughout the year would provide additional sunlight during the late afternoon and evening.

That could be particularly noticeable during the winter months, when sunset can arrive before many Americans have finished their workday.

Backers also argue that longer evening daylight could benefit restaurants, retailers, recreation, sports and other businesses that depend on people being active after work.

The House demonstrated considerable support for the idea in July, passing the Sunshine Protection Act by a bipartisan vote of 308-117.

But getting through the Senate has proven far more difficult.

Trump Clashes With Republican Senator

One of the most prominent opponents of permanent daylight saving time is Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark.

The disagreement has created an unusual public clash between Trump and a Republican senator who has frequently supported other parts of the president’s agenda.

Trump recently urged Arkansas residents to contact Cotton and encourage him to support the legislation. The president also posted what he said was Cotton’s cellphone number while criticizing the senator’s opposition.

Cotton, however, has continued defending his position.

His primary concern involves what permanent daylight saving time would mean during winter mornings.

Moving an additional hour of daylight into the evening also means sunrise would come approximately an hour later than it does under standard time.

For families in some parts of the country, that could mean children waiting for school buses or walking to school while it is still dark.

Workers beginning early morning shifts could face similar conditions.

Northern States Raise Concerns

The daylight saving debate does not fall neatly along traditional Republican and Democratic lines.

Geography plays a major role.

Lawmakers representing states farther north have expressed particular concern about late winter sunrises.

Thune, who represents South Dakota, has previously acknowledged those concerns and questioned whether permanent daylight saving time would be the best option for northern states.

Supporters, meanwhile, argue that Americans would benefit from having more usable daylight after work instead of earlier in the morning.

That debate has made the issue far more complicated than simply deciding whether Americans are tired of changing their clocks.

There is widespread frustration with switching between daylight saving and standard time, but there is less agreement over which time system should become permanent.

Congress Faces a Choice

The Sunshine Protection Act would effectively force lawmakers to settle that question.

Instead of switching clocks twice each year, most of the country would remain on daylight saving time throughout the winter.

Some states and territories that currently remain on standard time would continue to have exemptions under the legislation.

Trump has described ending the clock changes as a common-sense reform and has encouraged Senate Republicans to help send the legislation to his desk.

But with opposition remaining inside his own party, passage is far from guaranteed.

The Senate’s 60-vote threshold presents another major obstacle. Even if most Republican senators supported the legislation, some Democratic support would likely still be necessary unless the chamber used a different procedural path.

Americans May Have to Change Their Clocks Again

For now, households should expect the longstanding routine to continue.

Under existing federal law, daylight saving time ends on the first Sunday of November.

That means clocks are scheduled to move backward by one hour on November 1, giving Americans an extra hour overnight but also bringing sunset approximately an hour earlier.

Whether that will eventually become one of the country’s final seasonal clock changes depends on what the Senate decides to do with the Sunshine Protection Act.

Trump has made it clear that he wants Congress to act.

The House has already delivered a strong bipartisan vote.

The biggest question now is whether enough senators will agree — or whether the familiar ritual of changing America’s clocks twice a year will remain in place for the foreseeable future.