House to Vote on Sunshine Protection Act This Week, Ending Twice-Yearly Time Changes

The U.S. House is expected to vote this week on the Sunshine Protection Act, legislation that would make daylight saving time permanent and end the twice-yearly ritual of changing clocks. The House Rules Committee meets July 13 at 4 p.m. ET to advance the bill. If passed by both chambers and signed by President Trump, most Americans would stop setting clocks back in fall and forward in spring.

What the Sunshine Protection Act would do

The bill would repeal a section of the Uniform Time Act of 1966 to eliminate the annual clock changes. The current version allows states to opt out and remain on standard time year-round. Arizona and Hawaii already follow year-round standard time. Nineteen states have passed laws supporting permanent daylight saving time, but those laws cannot take effect without federal approval.

Winter sunrise and sunset times would shift dramatically

Under permanent daylight saving time, winter sunrises would occur much later. In Raleigh, North Carolina, the latest sunrise would be 8:33 a.m., with sunsets just after 6 p.m. In Ohio, winter sunrises could reach 9 a.m. School and work commutes would happen before sunrise during the darkest months from November to March. Sleep experts have questioned whether permanent daylight saving time is healthy.

Strong political backing but a stalled history

President Trump called the twice-yearly time change a “ridiculous production” and has urged Congress to end it. The House Energy and Commerce Committee backed the bill 48-1 in May. A similar proposal passed the Senate unanimously in March 2022 but stalled in the House. An AP-NORC poll from October 2025 found 47% of Americans oppose the current time-change system, while only 12% support daylight saving time.

Senate and presidential approval still required

Even if the House passes the bill, the Senate must also approve it by majority vote and President Trump must sign it into law. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Florida, introduced the bill, arguing that permanent daylight saving time can improve public health, reduce traffic accidents, lower crime, and encourage outdoor activity.

Final Thoughts

The House vote this week marks the closest the nation has come to ending twice-yearly time changes since the 2022 Senate passage. Passage would require Senate approval and Trump’s signature, but bipartisan support and public frustration with clock changes make passage likely if the House acts.

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