House passes bill to ‘ditch the switch’ and make daylight saving time permanent

Washington– There will be no going back if the House wants it.

The House of Representatives on Tuesday passed a bill that would make daylight saving time permanent. Supporters, including the White House, argued that the change would provide more daylight during times when Americans are most active. The vote was 308 to 117.

Daylight saving time is that period between spring and fall when clocks in most parts of the United States are set one hour ahead of standard time. States can opt out of participating if their legislatures act to do so before the bill is enacted. The Senate would also have to pass the bill before it can be signed into law, but it is unclear whether it will do so.

Representative Gus Bilirakis, Republican of Florida, said Americans are ready to “throw down the switch,” saying changing the clock twice a year creates unnecessary disruption. Most importantly, he said, it will give families more daylight time in the evening to spend time outdoors and support local businesses.

“In my home state of Florida, where tourism is a cornerstone of our economy, having more predictable daylight hours is a practical improvement that benefits workers, businesses and visitors alike,” Bilirakis said.

Critics said permanent daylight saving time would lead to darker and potentially more dangerous winter mornings, as children wait for school buses and parents drive to work in the dark.

“Millions of Americans will wake up during the winter months in total darkness, with the sun not rising until long after people have woken up and traveled to school or work or gone about their days,” said Pennsylvania Democratic Representative Mary Gay Scanlon.

Rep. Jim McGovern, Democrat of Massachusetts, said he supported the bill, but questioned whether this was the best way for Congress to spend its time.

“For people struggling with rent, groceries, utility bills and health care costs, is this really the best the majority can do?” McGovern said. “Is this really the most pressing issue before the American people at this moment?”

A 2025 poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that if forced to choose, most Americans would prefer to keep that extra hour of daylight in the evening.

If they had to choose one option for the entire country to use, more than half of adults — 56% — would prefer to make daylight saving time permanent, with less light in the morning and more light in the evening. About 4 in 10 people prefer standard time, when there is more light in the morning and less in the evening.

The White House commented before the House vote, calling the Sun Protection Act a popular and common-sense reform, and saying advisers would recommend the president sign the bill if it reaches his desk.

Members of Congress have long been interested in the potential benefits and costs of daylight saving time since it was first adopted as a wartime measure in 1942. The Senate passed a bill four years ago to make daylight saving time permanent, but it stalled in the House.