Trump Issues New Demand To Congress
President Donald Trump renewed his call for the Senate to pass the Sunshine Protection Act on Wednesday, arguing that Americans should be able to keep their evening daylight and stop resetting their clocks twice a year. The House passed the bill in July by a bipartisan vote of 308–117, but it has stalled in the Senate.
Trump pointed to the early darkness in a Truth Social post, saying the sun had set at 5:06 p.m. and it was already dark by 5:31. He also took aim at the familiar chore of going through the house to reset clocks after the fall time change. While acknowledging that Congress has more pressing business, Trump said he would keep pushing for the bill.
What permanent daylight saving time would change
Under the Sunshine Protection Act, communities that now change their clocks would generally stay on the same schedule they use in spring and summer. During the winter, sunset would come an hour later by the clock than it does under standard time. Sunrise would also come an hour later.
For someone who likes to take a walk before supper, finish yardwork after work or run errands before dark, that later sunset has an obvious appeal. For families heading to the school bus stop or workers starting an early shift, a later sunrise could mean more of the morning spent in darkness. That trade-off has divided lawmakers, including Republicans who agree that changing the clocks is a nuisance.
Republicans differ on which time to keep
Arkansas Republican Sen. Tom Cotton has emerged as a leading opponent of Trump’s proposal. Cotton has said he dislikes changing the clocks, but he points to the country’s experience with year-round daylight saving time in the 1970s. Congress cut that experiment short after complaints about late winter sunrises, including concerns about children traveling to school in the dark.
Republican Rep. Pat Harrigan of North Carolina and Democratic Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon of Pennsylvania have offered a different approach. Their Sunshine for Our Kids Act would make standard time the year-round default while allowing states to choose permanent daylight saving time. Their proposal puts more emphasis on morning daylight for students and commuters.
Where Americans stand on the clock change
An October 2025 AP-NORC poll found that just 12% of U.S. adults favored the current system of changing clocks twice a year. Another 47% opposed it, while 40% had no preference on keeping the current system. When asked which time they would keep year-round, 56% chose daylight saving time and 42% chose standard time.
The House has already backed Trump’s preferred approach. Senate Majority Leader John Thune has said senators still lack a consensus, leaving the bill without a clear path to a vote. For now, most Americans are scheduled to spring forward again on March 14, 2027.
