# Americans want permanent daylight time. Senate is split.

> The House passed a bill to make Daylight Saving Time permanent, but senators disagree on whether the change would help or harm their constituents.
- Title: Americans want permanent daylight time. Senate is split.
- Summary: The House passed a bill to make Daylight Saving Time permanent, but senators disagree on whether the change would help or harm their constituents. The House…
- Keywords: daylight saving time, sunshine protection act, senate, house of representatives, john thune, rick scott, tom cotton, patty murray, ed markey, roger wicker, clock change, legislation
- Source: TIME — https://time.com/article/2026/10/07/senate-permanent-daylight-saving-time-sunshine-protection-act
- Author: Chantelle Lee
- Published: 2026-10-07T19:59:00+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: daylight saving time, sunshine protection act, senate, house of representatives, john thune, rick scott, tom cotton, patty murray, ed markey, roger wicker, clock change, legislation
## House passes permanent daylight bill
In July, the House passed the Sunshine Protection Act with bipartisan support to make Daylight Saving Time permanent across the U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly urged Congress to pass it.
## Senate majority leader sees no consensus
Senate Majority Leader John Thune told POLITICO there is no consensus among his colleagues on whether to advance the measure. He said there is no clear path forward yet.

> The President feels strongly on it like he does a lot of issues. It's something we're having conversations about, but there's no clear path forward or consensus on it yet.
## Most Americans oppose clock changes
Polling by the Associated Press and NORC last year shows forty-seven percent of Americans oppose the current biannual clock change, compared to just twelve percent who support it.
## Americans prefer permanent daylight time
Fifty-six percent of Americans support permanent Daylight Saving Time, compared to forty-two percent for Standard Time, according to last year's AP and NORC poll.
## What the Sunshine Protection Act does
The bill would make Daylight Saving Time permanent nationwide but allow states to opt out and observe Standard Time year-round if they choose before the act is enacted.
## Rick Scott backs the bill
Florida Republican Senator Rick Scott is a vocal backer of the Sunshine Protection Act. He says constituents are sick and tired of changing clocks twice a year and calls it an unnecessary, decades-old practice.

> they are sick and tired of changing their clocks twice a year, it's an unnecessary, decades-old practice that's more of an annoyance to families than benefit to them.
## More daylight means outdoor time
Supporters argue that permanent Daylight Saving Time would mean the sun sets later throughout the year, encouraging people to engage in more outdoor activity and spend time with family.

> For many Americans, an extra hour of daylight means more time to play outside with their kids, walk their dog, or spend time with neighbors.
## Tom Cotton warns of dark mornings
Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas, the most vocal opponent in the Senate, says permanent Daylight Saving Time would create absurdly late winter sunrises and make winter dark and dismal for millions.

> Arkansans don't want their kids going to school in the pitch dark, and I'll always put Arkansas first.
## The 1974 experiment failed
Cotton points out that the U.S. tried permanent Daylight Saving Time in nineteen seventy-four, but it was unpopular and Congress repealed the legislation just months after it took effect.
## Sunrise times vary by location
In Indianapolis, residents would see sunrise after nine a.m. local time on January fifteenth, twenty twenty-seven, if Daylight Saving Time were permanent, while other parts of the country would see sunrise around eight a.m.
## Sleep experts back Standard Time
Sleep experts and organizations like the American Academy of Sleep Medicine oppose permanent Daylight Saving Time, arguing that Standard Time aligns best with people's circadian rhythms and is better for health.
## Senate faces safety concerns
Senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi told reporters he is aware that some people have safety concerns in northern and rural states where children get on the school bus in very early hours.
## Key takeaway

The House passed the Sunshine Protection Act to make Daylight Saving Time permanent nationwide, but Senate Majority Leader John Thune says there is no consensus among senators to advance it.