Trump Urges Congress to Pass Bill Making Daylight Saving Time Permanent
By douglasharrington // 2026-11-07
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President Donald Trump on Friday called on Congress to pass the Sunshine Protection Act, legislation that would make daylight saving time permanent, according to a post on his Truth Social account. In the post, the president described the biannual clock change as "a ridiculous clock-changing process that takes place twice a year" and said it "costs our Country a fortune, is bad for Crime, stress on people, Sports, and just about everything else you can imagine," according to a report by The Epoch Times [1]. The president's latest appeal came after clocks in Washington, D.C., set a sunset time of 5:06 p.m., with darkness falling by 5:31 p.m., according to the post. Trump cited those times as evidence that the current system is unreasonable. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the legislative strategy behind the president's message.

Legislative Status of the Sunshine Protection Act

The House of Representatives passed the Sunshine Protection Act in July by a vote of 308-117, sending the measure to the Senate for consideration, according to congressional records cited in news reports [2]. Twenty-two Republicans and 95 Democrats voted against the measure, according to the vote tally [2]. The bill had previously advanced out of the House Energy and Commerce Committee by a 48-1 vote in May, according to The Epoch Times [3]. The legislation would end the semiannual clock change and establish permanent daylight saving time for most Americans, according to the bill's sponsors. Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.) sponsored the measure [4]. If enacted, the bill would eliminate the practice of springing forward in March and falling back in November. Despite the House's bipartisan support, the Senate has not taken up the measure. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) indicated in October that there is "no clear path forward" in Congress for the legislation. "The president feels strongly on it, like he does a lot of issues," Thune said.

Trump's Prior Statements on Daylight Saving Time

Trump previously criticized the clock change at a rally in Mississippi last month, according to remarks reported from the event [5]. In his Truth Social post on Friday, Trump cited data indicating that less crime occurs when it is brighter in the early evening, writing that the current system is "bad for Crime" [1]. He did not provide a specific source for the crime data in the post. The president also said the change places "stress on people" and affects sports scheduling. The president's remarks have consistently framed the issue as one of public convenience and economic cost rather than a matter of health policy.

Opposition and Alternative Legislation

Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) has emerged as a leading opponent of the Sunshine Protection Act. "No one likes changing the clock, me included," Cotton wrote. "Arkansans don't want their kids going to school in the pitch dark, and I'll always put Arkansas first" [6]. In the House, Reps. Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Pa.) and Pat Harrigan (R-N.C.) introduced the Sunshine for Our Kids Act, legislation that would establish permanent standard time instead, according to a report by 100PercentFedUp [7]. The lawmakers noted that permanent daylight saving time would leave mornings dark for children going to school and commuters leaving for work [7]. The competing proposals reflect a broader disagreement over which time regime should be locked in. The Sunshine Protection Act would lock clocks on daylight saving time, while the Sunshine for Our Kids Act would keep standard time year-round.

Public Opinion on Time Changes

Forty percent of respondents said they are indifferent about the practice. The survey results indicate that while a majority of Americans support ending the clock change, there is no consensus on which time system should replace it. Public polling on the issue has been consistent in showing majority support for ending the semiannual change, but the partisan and regional divisions over the alternative have complicated legislative efforts.

Outlook in the Senate

The Senate's next steps on the Sunshine Protection Act were not immediately announced, according to officials. The president's repeated public appeals have not altered the legislative calendar in the Senate, where the bill remains without a scheduled floor vote.

References

  1. Trump Calls on Senate to Pass Bill Making Daylight Saving Time Permanent. https://theepochtimes.com/us/trump-calls-on-senate-to-pass-bill-making-daylight-saving-time-permanent-6098915
  2. House Passes Sunshine Protection Act to Make Daylight Saving Time Permanent; Senate Will Vote Next - NaturalNews.com, July 15, 2026
  3. What to Know About the Push to Make Daylight Saving Time Permanent. https://theepochtimes.com/us/what-to-know-about-the-push-to-make-daylight-saving-time-permanent-6061172
  4. House to Vote on Making Daylight Saving Time Permanent - NaturalNews.com, July 14, 2026
  5. Thousands Pack Mississippi Rally as Trump’s Midterm Campaign Tour Continues. https://theepochtimes.com/us/thousands-pack-mississippi-rally-as-trumps-midterm-campaign-tour-continues-6109171
  6. Cotton fires back at Trump, says he won’t support making Daylight Saving Time permanent. https://justthenews.com/government/congress/cotton-fires-back-trump-says-he-wont-support-making-daylight-saving-time?utm_source=justthenews.com&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=external-news-aggregators
  7. New Bipartisan Bill Would Eliminate Daylight Saving Time. https://100percentfedup.com/new-bipartisan-bill-would-eliminate-daylight-saving-time/

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