Congress is one step closer to making daylight saving time permanent.
On July 14, the House of Representatives passed a bill that would allow states to enforce daylight saving time year-round, a change from the current practice of changing clocks twice a year.
If passed by the Senate and signed into law, the legislation — which cleared the House 308-117 — would largely stop the practice of moving clocks forward one hour in the spring and back one hour in the fall.
Introduced by Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Florida, the Sunshine Protection Act of 2025 passed the House after years of unsuccessful efforts in Congress to reform Daylight Saving Time.
Here’s what you need to know about the latest effort to make Daylight Saving Time permanent.
What is Daylight Saving Time?
Daylight Saving Time is the practice of setting clocks forward one hour from March to November in an effort to receive more sunlight during the summer months.
According to the Library of Congress, it was first enacted in 1918 as a fuel cost-saving measure during World War I.
Daylight saving time became federal law under the Uniform Time Act of 1966.
Under the law, some states may choose to exempt themselves from Daylight Saving Time. Daylight saving time is not observed in Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and most of Arizona, according to the Department of Transportation.
Daylight Saving Time Bill sent to Senate
After passing the House, the permanent Daylight Saving Time bill still has some way to go before it becomes law.
Next, it will head to the Senate, where its fate is unclear. If it clears the upper house of Congress, it will go to President Donald Trump’s desk to be signed into law.
Trump has expressed support for permanent Daylight Saving Time in the past, so it appears that, if passed by the Senate, he would sign it into law.
Recently, he called Daylight Saving Time a “ridiculous, twice-a-year production” in a May Truth social post.
“I’m going to work very hard to see the Sunshine Protection Act signed into law. It’s time for people to stop worrying about the ‘clock,'” he wrote.
What does it mean to make daylight saving time permanent?
If permanent daylight saving time becomes law, it would eliminate “spring forward” in March and “fall back” in November.
Meaning, this move will lead to later sunrises and sunsets during a significant portion of the year.
Proponents like Buchanan argue that permanent daylight saving time would have positive health effects. Critics, such as American Airlines, say it will have a major impact on passengers.
Melina Khan is USA TODAY’s national trends reporter. Keep up with her on Instagram @melinakhan and @bmelinakhan.
Reporting by Melina Khan, USA TODAY/USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect.