It may seem that Democrats and Republicans cannot agree on anything these days, but where they may meet in the middle is on the long-contested issue of Daylight Saving Time.
The Sunshine Protection Act was approved in the U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday. The House voted 308 to 117 to make Daylight Saving Time permanent. The bill will now head to the Senate for approval, and if it is passed there, it will head to President Donald Trump for his signature.
This bill would mean clocks would no longer be returned to Standard Time every year in November. Nineteen states are ready to make the change and have enacted legislation to switch to year-round Daylight Saving Time if Congress allows it. Other states that choose to oppose the change will be allowed to opt out, per the bill.
Those who are in favor of the bill cite that the change would come with many benefits, including helping with seasonal depression, allowing for more recreational and economic activity and even lower crime rates.
However, opponents say the change would be hard for farmers, who would not have sunlight until after 9 a.m. in some areas. It could also pose a danger for students getting to school safely, as buses and cars would be driving in the dark.
Permanent Daylight Saving Time was briefly enacted in 1974 under President Richard Nixon, but it was quickly reversed after public backlash. In 2022, the Senate passed a version of the same bill, but it did not get a floor vote in the House.
Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton has spoken out against the change in the past and is expected to continue to vote against the act.
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