President Donald Trump has intensified his push to make daylight saving time permanent, publicly pressuring Republican Senator Tom Cotton after the Senate stalled legislation that would end most twice-yearly clock changes in the United States.
The dispute escalated when Trump posted what he said was Cotton’s phone number and urged Arkansas residents to contact the senator. Cotton opposes permanent daylight saving time and argues that darker winter mornings would create problems for schoolchildren, workers and families.
Where the legislation stands
The House of Representatives passed the Sunshine Protection Act in July by a 308-117 vote. The measure would keep clocks on daylight saving time year-round in most of the country, ending the familiar spring-forward and fall-back cycle.
The Senate, however, adjourned without taking up the bill before the November 3 congressional elections. Senate Majority Leader John Thune had previously said it was unclear whether supporters could secure the 60 votes needed for passage.
What Trump wants
Trump argues that changing clocks twice a year is costly and disruptive. He has cited concerns involving stress, crime, sports and economic activity and says Americans should no longer have to reset their clocks every spring and autumn.
He has also emphasized the preference of people who want more usable evening daylight, including golfers and participants in other outdoor activities.
Why Tom Cotton opposes permanent daylight saving time
Cotton and other opponents focus primarily on winter mornings. Keeping clocks one hour ahead year-round would mean sunrise occurs later during the darkest months, particularly in northern and western parts of time zones.
Critics argue that children could travel to school in darkness and that commuters, farmers, construction workers and other early-shift employees would begin more of their day before sunrise.
The public-health debate is more complicated
There is broad interest in ending the twice-yearly clock change, but that does not automatically mean permanent daylight saving time is the only alternative. Some sleep and health experts favor permanent standard time because morning light plays an important role in human circadian rhythms.
Supporters of permanent daylight saving time counter that clock changes themselves disrupt sleep and can be associated with short-term increases in traffic crashes and workplace problems. They also value additional evening daylight.
America tried this before
The United States used year-round daylight saving time during World War Two and again in 1974 during an energy crisis. The 1974 experiment proved unpopular and Congress reversed course later that year.
That history is frequently cited by opponents, while supporters argue that commuting patterns, school transportation and modern lifestyles have changed substantially over the past five decades.
What would happen if the bill became law?
Under the House-passed measure, clocks would no longer return to standard time beginning in 2027. States that do not currently observe daylight saving time, or that meet specified conditions for adopting permanent standard time, could opt out.
Arizona and Hawaii currently do not observe daylight saving time in the same way as most states, illustrating that US time policy already contains geographic exceptions.
Airlines and businesses also have concerns
Changing national time policy can affect airline schedules, international connections, crew positioning and technology systems. Airlines for America has previously warned that implementation would require sufficient planning time.
Supporters argue that eliminating clock changes could reduce administrative hassle for businesses and consumers over the longer term.
What happens next?
The immediate legislative push has stalled because the Senate has no scheduled votes before the November 3 elections. Standard time is scheduled to resume on November 1 under current law.
The Senate could revisit the House-passed legislation after lawmakers return, but its future depends on whether supporters can assemble enough votes. Trump’s pressure on Cotton underscores the disagreement inside the Republican Party rather than resolving it.
Read continuing US coverage on NewsNationOnline. External sources: Reuters, October 3 and Reuters, October 2.
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