Americans will still change their clocks twice a year this decade
Senate leaders plan to let the House-passed permanent daylight saving bill lapse, prioritizing northern state sunrises over the White House's push for more afternoon light.
By Nadia Singh ·
Households across the United States will turn their clocks back one hour this Sunday, maintaining the twice-yearly time shift that many Americans find annoying. The Senate intends to let the year end without acting on a House-passed bill that would have made daylight saving time permanent. This decision defies President Donald Trump, who has aggressively lobbied for the change, and leaves the current system in place for at least another year.
The legislative delay hinges on concerns about winter mornings in northern states. The bill would standardize the time zone currently used during the summer months. Under that schedule, sunrise times in locations like South Dakota would push past 9 a.m. in the winter. Senators representing those regions argue that such late light creates practical difficulties for families and commuters.
Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas has emerged as the most visible opponent of the measure. As a member of the Republican leadership, he has held up the legislation despite pressure from the White House. Earlier this month, Trump posted his personal cellphone number on social media and directed Cotton to "GET IT DONE!" Cotton responded by citing historical precedent. He noted that Congress has tried permanent daylight saving time before and repealed it after residents complained about absurdly late sunrises.
Other Republicans share Cotton's skepticism. Senator Mike Rounds of South Dakota stated that the change would mean sending children to school in the dark. Senator Bernie Moreno of Ohio was more direct when asked if the bill would pass soon. He replied, "No way." Senator Todd Young of Indiana described the House bill as a non-starter for Senate Republican leaders. Majority Leader John Thune has not commented publicly on this specific bill, though he voted against similar versions in the past.
President Trump has framed the issue as a matter of safety and convenience. He argued that criminals prefer working in the dark and that more afternoon light is beneficial. The President, an avid golfer, also suggested that extra daylight allows for more time to play golf. He criticized the current system as a waste of time, noting that digital devices now adjust automatically. Despite these arguments, the President's social media posts this week failed to shift the balance in the Senate.
Public opinion shows a clear preference for a single time standard. An AP-NORC poll conducted last year found that only 12% of American adults supported the current system, while nearly half opposed it. The American Medical Association and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine also back the change. Senator Rick Scott of Florida, who signed a similar state-level law as governor in 2018, has led the effort in the Senate. He described the practice as an unnecessary annoyance to families.
Several Democrats have joined the push for reform. Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts argued last year that the time change impacts the economy and health. He called for ending the ritual to avoid late winter sunsets. The Senate will return to Washington after the November 3 midterm election, but most Republicans predict the bill will not come to a vote before the end of the year.
The current situation echoes a 1973 experiment. Congress passed a law making daylight saving time permanent during an energy crisis. The measure was repealed by October of that year as public support dropped. The primary complaint then, as it is now, was the difficulty children faced walking to school in the dark. More than 50 years later, the Senate appears ready to repeat that historical pattern by letting the bill die in committee.
