Trump Urges Senate to Make Daylight Saving Time Permanent
President Donald Trump is urging the Senate to stop America’s twice-yearly clock changes. He wants lawmakers to pass a law that would make daylight saving time permanent.
In a Truth Social post overnight, Trump called for the Senate to pass the “NO MORE CHANGING THE CLOCKS ACT.” He argues that more daylight in the evening could help reduce crime while criticizing the current practice of changing clocks twice a year.
Current Legislative Status
The House passed the Sunshine Protection Act, H.R. 139, with a bipartisan 308-117 vote on July 14. The bill aims to make daylight saving time permanent across most of the U.S.
On July 15, H.R. 139 was sent to the Senate and referred to the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee.
The Senate is on recess and will return on September 14. If no senator objects, the Senate could pass H.R. 139 by unanimous consent. However, it would need 60 votes to bypass a filibuster if there is any objection.
Potential Roadblocks
Senator Tom Cotton, a Republican from Arkansas, opposes permanent daylight saving time. He warns that winter mornings would become darker, affecting children and workers in some areas. Cotton spoke against the Sunshine Protection Act in October 2025.
Other senators against permanent daylight saving time include Republicans Ted Budd, Deb Fischer, Jerry Moran, Tim Sheehy, Dan Sullivan, Roger Wicker, and Todd Young. Democrats opposing it are Lisa Blunt Rochester, Tammy Duckworth, Amy Klobuchar, Gary Peters, and Jacky Rosen, as noted by CBS News.
Newsweek reached out to Cotton’s representatives for comments via email on Sunday.
Upcoming Deadline
The House version of H.R. 139 does not have a delayed effective date. If the Senate passes it unchanged and with President Trump’s approval by November 1, it could stop the scheduled shift back to standard time, making daylight saving time permanent.
This gives the Senate 48 days post-recess to act. If the Senate makes any amendments, the House would need to review those changes, tightening the timeline.
If the Senate does not pass the legislation on time, clocks will move back one hour on November 1 according to the current law.
Trump’s Push for Change
Trump has consistently called for an end to changing the clocks twice a year. In April 2025, he urged Congress for “more Daylight at the end of a day,” emphasizing that eliminating clock changes is popular.
The House vote offers Trump a chance to push the issue, which has bipartisan support. It could also be a popular move ahead of midterms. Trump has claimed that the Sunshine Protection Act could help decrease murder and robbery rates.
Supporters of permanent daylight saving time argue it provides more usable evening light. Opponents like Cotton caution about darker winter mornings.
In March 2022, an earlier version of the Sunshine Protection Act passed the Senate by unanimous consent but stalled in the House. Currently, the House has acted, and the question remains if the Senate will do so before the next clock change.
About Daylight Saving Time
Most of the U.S. starts daylight saving time on the second Sunday in March, advancing clocks by one hour at 2 a.m. This shifts daylight from morning to evening. It ends on the first Sunday in November when clocks are moved back one hour.
Federal law governs this practice, but states and territories are not required to follow it. Hawaii and most of Arizona do not observe daylight saving time, though the Navajo Nation does. U.S. territories like Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands stay on standard time year-round.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Ben Kelly and Cristina Diciu.