Senate stalls on permanent daylight saving time bill

The Senate is unlikely to vote on a bill that would make daylight saving time permanent before the end of the year, effectively defying President Donald Trump and halting a long-standing debate over the twice-yearly clock change.

As the country turns its clocks back an hour early Sunday, several senators are holding up legislation that would eliminate the U.S. practice of shifting time. The House has already passed the measure, but Senate Republicans have signaled they will not bring it to a floor vote in the short time remaining before the Nov. 3 midterm election.

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., has emerged as the most vocal opponent. A member of GOP leadership, Cotton argued that the change would result in late sunrises during the winter months. "No one likes changing the clock, me included, but Congress has enacted permanent Daylight Savings Time multiple times before and repealed it each time once Americans experienced absurdly late sunrises in the winter," Cotton said.

President Trump has aggressively pushed for the bill's passage, targeting Cotton in social media posts earlier this month. The president posted his personal cellphone number and ordered Cotton to "GET IT DONE!" Trump argued that afternoon sunlight is preferable to morning light and noted that "CRIMINALS DON'T LIKE WORKING IN THE LIGHT."

The president renewed his call this week, writing on Truth Social that the Senate is letting the bill die despite a "vast Majority of the Country" wanting the change. An avid golfer, Trump suggested the extra daylight would allow for more time on the course and reduce the danger of changing clocks on high steeples and municipal buildings.

Other Republicans from Northern states have also blocked the legislation, citing the impact on commuters and students. Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., stated that the change would mean "You'd be sending kids to school in the dark."

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has not weighed in publicly on the specific House bill, though he has voted against similar versions in the past. Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., said he understands the bill is a "non-starter" for Senate Republican leaders. Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, was more direct, telling reporters this month: "No way."

The current system is unpopular among the American public. An AP-NORC poll last year found that only 12% of American adults favored the existing two-time system, while almost half opposed it. Proponents of a single time, including the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, argue that the current practice disrupts sleep and health.

Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., has led recent efforts to make the change permanent. Scott signed legislation as governor in 2018 that would have allowed Florida to stay on daylight saving time year-round, pending federal approval. "I hear from Americans constantly that they are sick and tired of changing their clocks twice a year," Scott said. Democratic Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts has also supported the change, noting the "head-spinning ritual" has a real impact on the economy and health.