The US House has approved a permanent daylight saving time proposal that could end seasonal clock changes across most of the country. The Sunshine Protection Act passed with bipartisan support, but it must still clear the Senate before reaching President Donald Trump’s desk.
House DST vote delivers bipartisan approval
The House of Representatives passed H.R. 139, known as the Sunshine Protection Act, by a 308–117 vote on Tuesday, July 14, 2026. Six members did not vote, according to the official House roll call. The measure would make daylight saving time permanent in states that currently observe it.
Representative Vern Buchanan of Florida introduced the legislation. The House Energy and Commerce Committee said the proposal would eliminate the need for Americans to move their clocks forward in March and back in November. Supporters describe the change as a simpler national time policy that would provide more evening daylight throughout the year.
The White House formally supported the bill before the vote. In a policy statement, the administration argued that permanent daylight saving time could reduce the cost and inconvenience associated with changing clocks twice each year. It also said later daylight hours could benefit families and economic activity.
Senate DST bill remains the main hurdle
House approval does not make permanent daylight saving time federal law. The legislation must now pass the Senate in an identical form before it can be presented to the president for approval.
A related Senate measure faced resistance in October 2025 when Senator Tom Cotton objected to a request to approve it through unanimous consent. Cotton argued that year-round daylight saving time could leave many communities facing unusually dark winter mornings. That concern could again complicate efforts to move the House bill quickly through the Senate.
The Senate previously passed a version of the Sunshine Protection Act in 2022, but the House did not approve it before that Congress ended. The latest House vote therefore represents significant progress, but the proposal still faces an uncertain legislative path.
Permanent daylight saving time divides experts
Supporters say later sunsets could allow families to spend more time outdoors after work and school. They also argue that ending the clock change would reduce disruption to sleep schedules, workplaces, transportation systems and household routines.
Opponents focus on the consequences of darker winter mornings. Under permanent daylight saving time, sunrise would occur later in many northern and western communities. Critics warn that children could travel to school before sunrise and that early workers may face reduced visibility during morning commutes.
Permanent daylight saving time would not create additional sunlight. It would shift one hour of daylight from the morning to the evening during months when standard time is currently observed. The political debate therefore centres on which hours of the day should receive more natural light.
Arizona and Hawaii could retain standard time
Federal law currently allows states to opt out of daylight saving time and remain on standard time throughout the year. Hawaii, most of Arizona and several US territories do not observe seasonal daylight saving time.
The Sunshine Protection Act would allow those jurisdictions to continue using standard time. However, states that observe daylight saving time would remain on it throughout the year rather than changing their clocks every spring and autumn.
The current national system is governed by the Uniform Time Act of 1966, which established consistent daylight saving dates while allowing states to choose permanent standard time. States cannot independently adopt permanent daylight saving time without congressional approval.
The United States first introduced daylight saving time nationally in 1918. Congress later established year-round daylight saving during World War II in 1942 before the country eventually returned to seasonal and locally varied systems.
The House vote has moved the century-old clock debate closer to a possible conclusion. However, Americans should continue following the existing clock-change schedule unless the Senate passes the legislation and the president signs it into law.
