The House of Representatives approved legislation on July 14, 2026, to make daylight saving time permanent, potentially eliminating the biannual clock changes. The bill, known as the Sunshine Protection Act, passed with a vote of 308-117, with 95 Democrats and 22 Republicans opposing it. Representative Vern Buchanan (R-FL) has introduced this legislation in every Congress since 2018. The bill's passage follows actions by 20 states to implement permanent daylight saving time contingent upon federal approval.
Buchanan stated that many Americans are dissatisfied with the clock changes and suggested that permanent daylight saving time could enhance public health, reduce traffic accidents, lower crime rates, and promote outdoor activities. The Senate previously passed a similar bill in 2022, but it did not advance in the House at that time.
Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) has introduced companion legislation in the Senate, which has garnered bipartisan support. If the bill is approved by the Senate, it is expected that President Donald Trump will sign it into law, as he has expressed consistent support for the measure.
Current law permits states to remain on permanent standard time but requires congressional and presidential approval for states to adopt permanent daylight saving time. Florida was the first state to enact a law in 2018 that would trigger permanent daylight saving time if the federal legislation is enacted. Opponents of the Sunshine Protection Act have introduced alternative legislation to make standard time permanent while allowing states to opt into daylight saving time. Representatives Pat Harrigan (R-NC) and Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA) proposed this counterlegislation, arguing for a more flexible approach to timekeeping.