The US House of Representatives votes 308-117 to pass a bipartisan bill making daylight saving time permanent and ending biannual clock changes.
A long-running national debate over how Americans keep time has taken a major step forward on Capitol Hill. On Tuesday, July 14, 2026, the United States House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to pass the Sunshine Protection Act. The bipartisan bill, which passed with a decisive 308-117 vote, aims to eliminate the century-old practice of changing clocks twice a year. Under this proposed legislation, the country would establish year-round daylight saving time, effectively “locking the clock” so that Americans no longer have to “spring forward” in March or “fall back” in November.
The push to end the twice-yearly time change has gained significant political momentum. Sponsored by Florida Republican Representative Vern Buchanan, the bill addresses a growing public frustration shared by millions of families, workers, and business owners who find the seasonal clock adjustments disruptive and unnecessary. While a similar effort passed the Senate in 2022 but stalled in the House, this latest version represents the most significant progress the initiative has made in years.
The driving force behind the bill is the promise of more evening sunlight and a more predictable daily routine. Supporters of the change argue that keeping the extra hour of evening light year-round will boost local economies, encourage outdoor recreation, lower crime rates during commuter hours, and reduce traffic accidents caused by sudden darkness. Additionally, proponents highlight health benefits, noting that ending the abrupt time shift prevents the sleep deprivation and temporary spikes in heart attacks historically linked to the spring clock change.
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However, the proposal still faces notable opposition from critics who worry about the trade-offs of permanent daylight saving time. Detractors, including school associations and sleep scientists, warn that the shift would lead to pitch-black winter mornings. In northern latitudes, the sun would not rise until after 9:00 a.m. during the coldest months of the year, forcing children to commute to school and parents to drive to work in complete darkness. Some medical organizations have argued that permanent standard time, rather than daylight saving time, is actually healthier because morning light is more closely aligned with human biology.
To address these regional differences, the Sunshine Protection Act includes a compromise. Individual states would be allowed to opt out of the change and remain on permanent standard time, provided their state legislatures pass a measure to do so before the federal law officially takes effect. This protective clause is particularly important for regions like Hawaii and most of Arizona, which already choose to observe standard time year-round to avoid extreme desert heat. The bill now heads to the Senate. While President Donald Trump has expressed strong support for the measure and promised to sign it into law, the bill’s path through the Senate remains uncertain as lawmakers weigh the competing demands of public health, school safety, and economic convenience.
