The House on Tuesday passed the Sunshine Protection Act, legislation that would make daylight saving time permanent nationwide, eliminating the need for Americans to change their clocks twice a year. The bill passed 308-117 and would allow states to opt out before it takes effect.
Rep. Scott DesJarlais, R-Tenn., who presided over the vote on the House floor, started playing the Beatles’ “Here Comes the Sun” on his phone as he read the final tally.
President Donald Trump has publicly pushed for the legislation, sponsored by Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla. He wrote in May on Truth Social that he was going to “work very hard to see The Sunshine Protection Act signed into Law.”
“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!” Trump added.
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The bill now heads to the Senate for consideration. A Senate version failed to advance last year after Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., objected to fast-tracking it through unanimous consent in October 2025. Cotton argued that making daylight saving time permanent could have unintended consequences, noting that in some parts of the country the sun would not rise until 9 a.m. or later. He also warned that darker mornings could make commutes more dangerous and force many people to begin work before sunrise.
A senior Capitol Hill aide said Tuesday that Cotton continues to have the “same concerns” about the proposal and that several senators from both parties have opposed the Senate version of the Sunshine Protection Act in committee. According to the aide, Cotton plans to urge Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., not to bring the legislation up for a vote.
Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., said his constituents support making daylight saving time permanent but expressed skepticism that the measure would pass the Senate.
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“I’m kind of digging the fact that we’re going to fix it, I hope,” Burchett said. “See if the Senate takes it up. They probably won’t, but we’ll see.”
Rep. Rich McCormick, R-Ga, who said he favored the bill, said there were mental health aspects that needed to be considered. “I think it’s popular. It shouldn’t be controversial. It should be bipartisan. It saves money,” McCormick said. He mentioned that people may “get more depression and get out of joint,” with time adjustments.
A 2025 AP-NORC poll, revealed that adjusting the clock twice a year was unpopular with Americans. However, opinions on how to deal with this remain divided. Congress has tried to address this issue before, and in 2022, the Senate unanimously voted to make daylight savings permanent but the legislation failed to pass in the House.