US House to vote next week on making daylight saving time permanent

The U.S. House is set to vote next week on the Sunshine Protection Act, a bill that would make daylight saving time permanent. 

According to Reuters, the full House vote follows a 48-1 committee vote in favor of the bill in May.

What is the Sunshine Protection Act?

Big picture view:

The Sunshine Protection Act would make daylight saving time – the time of year between March and November when Americans set their clocks one hour ahead of standard time – year-round. 

States such as Hawaii and most of Arizona would be exempt from the bill since they observe standard time all year. Other states would be able to opt out of making daylight saving time permanent. 

What they're saying:

Supporters say switching the clocks twice a year causes disruptions to sleep, more injuries in the workplace and more car accidents. 

Sticking with daylight saving time year-round would mean more sunlight in the evening hours, a popular idea in Florida and other states that get more sun. 

"Ending the clock change is a commonsense reform that will improve everyday life for millions of Americans," Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla, said after the committee vote in May. 

Rep. Frank Pallone, D-New Jersey, said permanent daylight saving time is "better for safety and will boost New Jersey’s tourism industry."

"Let’s stop changing the clocks twice a year," he said. 

President Donald Trump also supports the move. 

"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," Trump said in May. 

The other side:

Opponents of the bill, like Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, say permanent daylight saving time would mean extremely late winter sunrises. Children would be forced to go to school in the dark across much of the U.S., he has argued. 

What's next:

If it passes the House, the Senate would need to approve it for it to become law. The Senate approved a bill to make daylight saving time permanent in 2022, but it faced opposition in the House. 

History of daylight saving time

The backstory:

Daylight saving time is defined as a period between spring and fall when clocks in most parts of the country are set one hour ahead of standard time. According to federal law, it always starts on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November.

The practice of springing forward in the U.S. started in 1918 during World War I as a way to conserve fuel. By moving the clocks ahead an hour, backers believed the country could divert a bit of coal-fired electricity to the military instead of using it for an hour of home power. It was reenacted in World War II.

It was repealed again when the war ended, but some states — and even some cities — continued to observe daylight saving time while others kept standard time year-round. That meant driving relatively short distances could result in a time change.

By 1966, airlines and other businesses tired of such quirks and pushed Congress to pass the Uniform Time Act. It codified daylight saving time, although it has been modified periodically.

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