Trump’s Daylight Saving Move Gains Momentum
Americans may finally be closer to ending the frustrating tradition of changing clocks twice every year — and President Donald Trump is leading the charge.
A renewed effort in Congress to pass the Sunshine Protection Act is gaining momentum after lawmakers advanced the proposal through a key House committee last week. If approved by Congress and signed into law, the legislation would make daylight saving time permanent nationwide, eliminating the need to “spring forward” and “fall back” every year.
For millions of Americans — especially seniors, working families, and small business owners — the proposal could bring an end to a system many see as outdated, expensive, and unnecessary.
The legislation, introduced by Florida Republican Vern Buchanan, was included in a larger transportation funding package reviewed by the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Lawmakers overwhelmingly approved the package in a 48-1 vote, sending it to the full House for consideration.
President Trump quickly praised the move and signaled strong support for making daylight saving time permanent.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump blasted the twice-a-year clock changes as wasteful and inconvenient for Americans across the country. He argued that ending the practice would save money, reduce confusion, and improve daily life for millions of citizens.
Trump also described permanent daylight saving time as a major political winner because it would provide longer daylight hours in the evening — something many Americans strongly support.
The president emphasized that Americans are tired of constantly adjusting their schedules, sleep routines, and daily activities simply because of government-mandated clock changes.
For years, Trump has supported locking the nation into permanent daylight saving time instead of forcing Americans to reset their clocks every March and November.
Several Republican-led states have already prepared for the change.
Nineteen states have passed legislation supporting permanent daylight saving time if Congress gives final approval. Florida became the first state to act back in 2018, and many others have followed.
Among the states supporting the change are Texas, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Mississippi, Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Delaware, Minnesota, Montana, and Maine.
Meanwhile, lawmakers in Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Ohio are still considering similar legislation.
Supporters say permanent daylight saving time would provide major benefits for American families and businesses. During the winter months, many areas of the country experience sunsets before 5 p.m., with some communities seeing darkness arrive shortly after 4 p.m.
Under permanent daylight saving time, evening daylight would last longer throughout winter, giving Americans more time outdoors after work, increasing consumer activity, and potentially helping local businesses.
However, critics argue the plan also comes with drawbacks.
Health experts and sleep researchers have warned that permanent standard time may better align with the body’s natural sleep cycle. If daylight saving time became permanent, many Americans would not see sunrise until after 8 a.m. during winter months, while some northern areas could experience sunrises closer to 9 a.m.
Congress is currently reviewing several different proposals related to time changes.
One proposal would allow individual states to decide whether to adopt permanent daylight saving time. Another bill — known as the Daylight Act of 2026 — would create a compromise by permanently shifting clocks ahead by only 30 minutes instead of a full hour.
Still, the Sunshine Protection Act remains the most high-profile proposal, especially with Trump publicly backing the effort.
At this point, there is no guarantee Congress will act before the end of the year. But if lawmakers fail to pass one of the pending bills, Americans should still expect to turn their clocks back one hour on November 1.
For now, the debate over daylight saving time is far from over — but momentum appears to be growing faster than it has in years.
