Updated
Updated · POLITICO · Jun 5
Trump Pushes Permanent Daylight Saving Into 5-Year House Bill as Floor Support Wavers
Updated
Updated · POLITICO · Jun 5

Trump Pushes Permanent Daylight Saving Into 5-Year House Bill as Floor Support Wavers

3 articles · Updated · POLITICO · Jun 5

Summary

  • Trump’s lobbying helped place the Sunshine Protection Act into a five-year House surface transportation bill, with the White House saying he made personal calls to Republicans and treated the change as a priority.
  • The administration argues ending twice-yearly clock changes would reduce health and sleep disruption and cut economic dislocation, while Trump has framed permanent daylight saving as a political and practical win.
  • Committee approval does not guarantee passage: Republicans’ narrow majorities leave little room for defections, and senators including Tom Cotton and House members in both parties have raised concerns about darker mornings.
  • The provision still faces a difficult path through a must-pass transportation package that may slip past November, extending a yearslong bipartisan fight that has repeatedly stalled despite backing from Florida lawmakers and business interests.

Insights

The U.S. abandoned permanent daylight saving in 1974. What's different now to prevent history from repeating?
Why is permanent DST being advanced over the standard time option recommended by health experts?