Senate Republicans Reject Trump Push To End US Clock Switching

President Donald Trump’s effort to end America’s twice-yearly clock changes has run into opposition within his own party, leaving a House-passed reform stranded as senators depart Washington for the final stretch of the midterm campaign.

The Sunshine Protection Act cleared the House in July by a bipartisan 308–117 vote. But the Senate finished its pre-election business without taking up the legislation, and lawmakers are not expected to return for votes until after Election Day.

That leaves most Americans preparing to turn their clocks back November 1, two days before the November 3 midterms, despite Trump’s repeated calls for Congress to act.

The bill would establish permanent daylight saving time while preserving the ability of states to remain on permanent standard time. If enacted, it would prevent the seasonal return to standard time beginning in 2027.

Trump renewed his demand for action Friday, arguing that the current system imposes unnecessary costs and disruption.

Changing clocks twice a year “costs our country a fortune,” the president said. He added that the practice “is bad for crime, stress on people, sports, and just about everything else you can imagine.”

Supporters view the House vote as evidence that ending the ritual can attract support across party lines. The Senate, however, remains divided over which time system Americans should observe throughout the year.

Louisiana Republican Sen. John Kennedy delivered a blunt assessment of the legislation’s immediate prospects.

“It’s dead as disco,” Kennedy told Reuters.

“My sense is it would have trouble passing … I don’t think the leader is going to bring it up,” he added.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune had already questioned in July whether the proposal could attract the 60 votes needed to advance.

“We’re looking at it. You know the House had a big vote,” Thune said.

“There’s a lot of interest in it from members on our side over here. Some for, some against,” he continued.

Thune’s own position reflects concerns about the effect on northern communities during the darkest months of the year.

“I’m from a northern clime. I voted against it in committee,” the South Dakota Republican said when asked whether he supported permanent daylight saving time.

Florida Republican Sen. Rick Scott remains more optimistic. A leading advocate of ending seasonal clock changes, Scott told Reuters he believes lawmakers can ultimately pass the measure.

The disagreement centers largely on how Americans would experience winter daylight.

Advocates of permanent daylight saving time favor shifting more available sunlight into the afternoon and evening. They argue that brighter hours after work could encourage shopping, outdoor recreation and other economic activity.

Supporters also contend that eliminating the seasonal transitions could reduce sleep disruption, workplace injuries and traffic accidents associated with changing clocks.

Opponents emphasize the corresponding loss of morning light. In some communities, winter sunrise could arrive near 9 a.m. or later under permanent daylight saving time.

That raises concerns for children traveling to school, commuters and people whose work begins early, including farmers and construction workers.

Those regional and practical differences have complicated Trump’s effort to unite Republicans behind a reform he has presented as a straightforward response to public frustration.

Federal law currently starts daylight saving time on the second Sunday in March and ends it on the first Sunday in November.

The Department of Transportation oversees uniform observance, but it cannot abolish the system or make daylight saving time permanent on its own. Changing the federal arrangement requires congressional action.

States already have the option to decline daylight saving time and observe standard time year-round. They cannot independently choose permanent daylight saving time under the existing framework.

Hawaii and most of Arizona do not observe daylight saving time, nor do several U.S. territories. Most other Americans continue moving their clocks forward in spring and backward in fall.

The House-passed legislation would preserve existing exemptions. It would also allow states to choose permanent standard time before the federal change takes effect.

That provision gives states an alternative to year-round daylight saving time, although it has not resolved the Senate’s disagreements.

The country has adopted extended or permanent daylight saving arrangements before, including during World War II and the 1970s energy crisis. Congress approved year-round daylight saving time in 1974 as part of an effort to reduce energy consumption.

The current proposal must still clear the Senate before it can reach Trump’s desk. With no vote scheduled before the election, the House’s substantial bipartisan majority has yet to translate into a change in federal law.

For Americans awaiting an end to the clock changes, the next deadline is unchanged: clocks go back one hour November 1.