After multiple failed attempts in the past decade, is this the time daylight saving time becomes permanent year-round?
The House passed the Sunshine Protection Act on Tuesday, which would make daylight saving time permanent – no more "spring forward" or "fall back" – except for states that opt out before the bill is enacted. Passage by the Senate is not a sure thing, but if the bill is adopted by that chamber, President Trump has signaled he will sign it.
Polls have shown that while most Americans don't like changing the clocks twice a year, they are largely split on whether it should be daylight saving time or standard time that becomes permanent.
Permanent daylight saving time would mean an extra hour of sunlight for running errands or exercising after work during the colder months of the year. But it would also mean darker mornings. In DC, sunrise would occur after 8 a.m. from around Thanksgiving Day until Valentine’s Day.
Sunrise and sunset in DC with year-round daylight saving time
| Date | 🌅 Sunrise | 🌇 Sunset |
|---|---|---|
| Jan. 1 | 8:26 a.m. | 5:57 p.m. |
| Feb. 1 | 8:14 a.m. | 6:29 p.m. |
| March 1 | 7:40 a.m. | 7:01 p.m. |
| April 1 | 6:52 a.m. | 7:32 p.m. |
| May 1 | 6:10 a.m. | 8:00 p.m. |
| June 21 | 5:43 a.m. | 8:37 p.m. |
| Aug. 1 | 6:09 a.m. | 8:19 p.m. |
| Sept. 1 | 6:37 a.m. | 7:38 p.m. |
| Oct. 1 | 7:04 a.m. | 6:50 p.m. |
| Nov. 15 | 7:50 a.m. | 5:54 p.m. |
| Dec. 21 | 8:23 a.m. | 5:49 p.m. |
Proponents of permanent daylight saving time often point to the benefits of more evening daylight for outdoor activities and studies that show less crime. Those opposed warn that darker winter mornings could disrupt sleep, worsen health outcomes, and increase risks for children going to school in the dark.
Bills to make daylight saving time permanent have repeatedly stalled in Congress since 2018. However, daylight saving time did temporarily become permanent from January to October of 1974 after the Emergency Daylight Saving Time Conservation Act was enacted in response to an energy crisis.
The experiment, which was supposed to continue for roughly two years, was cut short by Congress amid widespread complaints that it was too darn dark in the mornings and concerns about the safety of children traveling to school before sunrise.
And so the idea of permanent daylight saving time was chucked into the dust bin of history – or so we thought.
Jason Samenow contributed to this report.
