Donald Trump requested Sunday that the U.S. Senate pass the "No More Changing the Clocks Act," a bill that would establish permanent daylight saving time. In a post on Truth Social, Trump described the current practice of resetting clocks twice a year as "disruptive" and argued that having more sunlight later in the day could assist in reducing crime. The legislation has already passed the House of Representatives with bipartisan support but currently remains stalled in the Senate.
The effort to eliminate the biannual clock change follows a history of similar attempts in the United States. Congress previously enacted a law for permanent daylight saving time in 1974, but it was repealed less than a year later due to public dissatisfaction. Opponents of the change, including some current senators, cite concerns about late winter sunrises, which could result in children traveling to school in darkness.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) has expressed opposition to the bill and has not yet scheduled a floor vote. While the Senate passed a similar measure by unanimous consent in 2022, current Republican sources told The Hill that a floor debate could occupy several weeks of the chamber's schedule. Some senators, such as Tom Cotton (R-AR), have publicly criticized the move, noting that in certain Midwestern and Rocky Mountain states, the sun might not rise until as late as 9:30 or 10:00 a.m. during winter months.
For the average household, this change would mean no longer needing to manually adjust clocks and watches twice a year, a process Trump characterized as causing "chaos." However, the day-to-day impact would be most noticeable in the timing of sunlight. In states like Arkansas, residents would see the sun rise as late as 8:30 a.m. in the winter, while in other regions, sunrise could be delayed until mid-morning. This shift could impact school start times, transportation safety, and energy consumption patterns across 48 states.
The legislation’s progress also serves as a marker for the relationship between the White House and Senate leadership. The bill is currently in limbo as the Senate remains on recess until September. With the chamber facing upcoming midterm elections and other legislative priorities, including voter ID measures, it is not yet known if or when Leader Thune will allow the bill to proceed to a formal vote. While 19 states have passed their own measures to stay on permanent daylight saving time, these cannot take effect without the federal change proposed in this act.