Well now, here’s a debate that somehow manages to unite millions of Americans every single year: nobody likes changing the clocks.
The House of Representatives took another swing at ending the ritual on Tuesday, passing the Sunshine Protection Act of 2025 by a commanding 308-117 vote. If it ultimately becomes law, Americans would stop moving their clocks forward in the spring and back in the fall. Daylight saving time would become permanent, and that twice-a-year scramble to remember which clock in the house still needs adjusting would finally come to an end.
Now, don’t start celebrating just yet. Stay with me.
The bill is headed to the Senate, and that’s where previous versions have run into trouble. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have concerns. Some worry about children heading to school before sunrise during the winter months. Others point to research involving sleep cycles and circadian rhythms. So while the House has spoken, the fight is far from over.
President Donald Trump, however, is all in.
Writing on Truth Social, Trump called the legislation “so important,” arguing that hundreds of millions of dollars are spent every year by individuals, cities, and states simply because everyone has to reset clocks twice annually.
He didn’t stop there.
“I am going to work very hard to see The Sunshine Protection Act signed into Law,” Trump wrote. “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. It will also be a very nice WIN for the Republican Party. Take it!”
That’s vintage Trump—turning a debate over clocks into a political rallying cry.
The measure also attracted bipartisan backing, which isn’t something you see every day in Washington.
Rep. Vern Buchanan of Florida has been one of the legislation’s biggest champions, joined by Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. of New Jersey, the ranking Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Buchanan has argued for years that eliminating the clock changes would make everyday life safer and healthier.
“Floridians and Americans across the country are tired of the biannual time change,” Buchanan said, pointing to studies that he believes show benefits ranging from fewer traffic accidents to lower crime and more outdoor activity.
Here’s where this conversation gets interesting, though.
People often assume daylight saving time exists because it saves energy. That’s been the argument for decades. But a widely cited 2008 National Bureau of Economic Research study reached a different conclusion. According to that research, households actually used about one percent more electricity under daylight saving time. Yes, lighting demand went down—but people ended up using more heating and air conditioning, more than offsetting the savings.
So one of the biggest historical justifications for changing the clocks suddenly doesn’t look nearly as convincing.
Then there are the health questions.
Researchers have repeatedly examined what happens after the spring clock change, when Americans lose an hour of sleep overnight. Data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System has shown an increase in traffic fatalities immediately after the shift, with one analysis finding a 17 percent jump on the Monday following the change. Other medical studies have suggested the disruption to normal sleep patterns may temporarily increase the risk of stroke and other health complications.
That’s a pretty steep price for moving the clock forward one hour.
Of course, supporters of keeping the current system—or switching to permanent standard time instead—argue there are tradeoffs. Darker winter mornings raise concerns for schools, commuters, and families, and those questions have repeatedly stalled previous efforts in the Senate.
So here we are again.
The House has acted. The White House wants it. Millions of Americans would probably love to stop wondering whether they’re supposed to be an hour early or an hour late every March and November.
But Washington has been down this road before.
Until the Senate signs off, those clocks aren’t going anywhere. And for now, Americans can only watch to see whether this is finally the year Congress decides enough is enough with one of the country’s oldest—and most unpopular—annual routines.
