House GOP Urges Senate to Pass Permanent Daylight Saving Time Legislation

<p>House GOP leadership is increasing pressure on Senate members to pass legislation that would make daylight saving time permanent following a call to action from President Donald Trump. Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., stated to Fox News Digital that "there's no reason Americans should lose an hour of sunlight at the end of the day when more daylight means more time with our families, more activity for our businesses and safer communities."</p><p>Scalise noted that Trump has been advocating for permanent daylight saving time, and the House Republicans passed the Sunshine Protection Act with a bipartisan vote of 308 to 117 in July. He emphasized that it is a "commonsense change" and urged the Senate to take it up.</p><p>The debate over changing the clocks has been ongoing for decades. A previous attempt during former President Richard Nixon's administration to implement year-round daylight saving time was cut short due to public dissatisfaction.</p><p>Trump expressed his support for the legislation on Truth Social, stating, "A ridiculous Clock changing process that takes place twice a year, costs our Country a fortune, is bad for Crime, stress on people, Sports, and just about everything else you can imagine." However, the bill is currently stalled in the Senate, where Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., indicated there is "no clear path forward."</p><p>This situation has created tension between Trump and the Senate GOP majority, with Trump recently targeting Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., who has been critical of the bill. Trump shared Cotton's cell phone number and urged Arkansans to contact their senator to support the legislation.</p><p>Cotton responded by highlighting that Congress has previously enacted permanent daylight saving time but repealed it after experiencing late sunrises in winter. He stated, "No one likes changing the clock, me included, but Congress has enacted permanent Daylight Saving Time multiple times before and repealed it each time once Americans experienced absurdly late sunrises in the winter. Arkansans don’t want their kids going to school in the pitch dark, and I’ll always put Arkansas first."</p><p>The issue has divided lawmakers, with some supporting the change and others opposing it due to concerns about children attending school in the dark. The outcome of the upcoming Nov. 3 election may influence the legislative schedule and discussions regarding the bill.</p><p>Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., acknowledged Cotton's strong feelings on the matter but noted that many constituents in Alabama support the change. She expressed hope for dialogue about the legislation when Congress reconvenes.</p>