US: House of Representatives passes bill to make daylight saving time permanent
Supporters of the reform, including the White House, believe that the change would provide more daylight during the times of day when Americans are most active. The vote was 308 to 117
In the United States, if the House of Representatives manages to get its way, there will no longer be any need to turn the clocks back. On Tuesday 14 July, the House of Representatives passed a bill to make daylight saving time permanent. Supporters of the measure argue that the proposal would ensure more daylight during the times of day when Americans are most active. Daylight saving time is the period between spring and autumn when, in most of the United States, clocks are set one hour ahead of standard time. States could choose not to participate if their respective legislative assemblies so decide before the bill comes into force. The Senate would also need to pass the bill before it can become law, but it is unclear whether it will do so.
Americans ‘ready to scrap daylight saving time’
Gus Bilirakis, a Republican MP from Florida, said that Americans are ready to “do away with daylight saving time”, arguing that changing the clocks twice a year causes unnecessary inconvenience. More importantly, he added, this would give families more hours of evening daylight to spend outdoors and would support local businesses. “In my home state of Florida, where tourism is a mainstay of our economy, having more predictable daylight hours represents a tangible improvement that benefits workers, businesses and visitors alike,” said Bilirakis.
The risks of darker winter mornings
Critics argue that permanent day-light saving time would lead to darker and potentially more dangerous winter mornings, with children waiting for the school bus and parents driving to work in the dark. “Millions of Americans will wake up during the winter months in total darkness, with the sun rising only long after people have got up and set off for school or work, or have had to go about their daily business,” said Mary Gay Scanlon, a Democratic MP from Pennsylvania.
Jim McGovern, a Democratic MP from Massachusetts, said he supported the bill, but questioned whether this was the best way for Parliament to spend its time. “For those struggling with rent, food bills, utility bills and healthcare costs, is this really the best the majority can do?” asked McGovern. “Is this really the most pressing issue for the American people right now?”
A 2025 survey conducted by the Associated Press-NORC Centre for Public Affairs Research shows that, if forced to choose, most Americans would prefer to keep that extra hour of evening light.
