Tipsheet

Will Congress Finally Make Daylight Saving Time Permanent?

Amy Curtis
Amy Curtis  |  May 22, 2026 8:30 AM

Shortly after winning the election, President Trump said he would work to end Daylight Saving Time (DST), saying the practice is 'inconvenient' and 'costly to our nation.' This has long been a hot-button issue, with both the pro- and anti-DST crowds making passionate arguments.

Congress has tried in the past to end the practice, but the legislation has never gone anywhere. But now the House is trying again to make it happen. The House Energy and Commerce Committee just voted 48 to one in favor of the Sunshine Protection Act, which would implement the change as part of a five-year transportation bill.

Here's more:

Supporters of the measure say the time shift causes sleep disturbances, greater workplace injuries and more car crashes. They also believe brighter evenings would spur more economic activity during winter.

President ⁠Trump praised the vote on social media, saying it’s “time that people can stop worrying about the ‘Clock,’ not to mention all of the work and money that is spent on this ridiculous, twice yearly production.”

Cotton has said it would result in absurdly late winter sunrises and force children to go to school in darkness in much of the country. The law would allow ‌states to ⁠opt out.

Representative Vern Buchanan, who has put forward the idea every year since 2018, proposed it again this year. The plan is popular in the lawmaker’s home state of Florida because it would allow more evening hours of play on golf courses and sports fields.

Arizona and Hawaii are the two states that do not observe DST. 

Proponents are pushing for Congress to codify Standard Time. 

Polls consistently show that Americans want an end to the twice-yearly clock changes. However, they're more evenly split on how to end it: keep DST or revert to Standard Time.

President Trump posted about the vote on Truth Social, writing, "I am going to work very hard to see The Sunshine Protection Act signed into law. It's time people can stop worrying about the 'Clock,' not to mention all of the work and money that is spent on this ridiculous, twice yearly production."

Standard Time, at least on X, seems to be the preference.

Of course, the bill has to make its way through the House and Senate before President Trump can sign it into law. Meanwhile, DST will end on November 1.