The US House of Representatives, the lower chamber of Congress, approved the "Sunshine Protection Act" bill that would move the country to permanent daylight saving time. The bill passed by a vote of 308 to 117.
The law would completely eliminate the practice of setting clocks forward one hour in the spring and back one hour in the fall. Thus, clock changes in the US would become a thing of the past.
Republican Representative Vern Buchanan of Florida, one of the bill's lead sponsors, said, "Polls show that two-thirds of Americans want to end clock changes. My bill is a simple solution to make daylight saving time permanent." Buchanan argued that an extra hour of daylight in the evenings would give families and children more outdoor time.
Another Republican representative from Florida, Gus Bilirakis, said, "Why are we forcing families, businesses, and communities to adjust their schedules every spring and fall? The twice-yearly clock change is a relic of the past that no longer reflects the lifestyle of Americans."
The only vote against the bill came from Democratic Representative Madeleine Dean of Pennsylvania. Dean criticized the legislation, saying Congress should focus on basic issues like food, fuel, and healthcare. She recalled that a similar experiment in the 1970s was "deadly and dangerous."
The US had switched to permanent daylight saving time in 1974 for two years to combat the OPEC oil embargo and fuel shortages. However, the practice drew strong backlash, especially because children had to go to school in the dark during winter, and it was repealed the same year. In December 1973, 79 percent supported the change, but by August 1974, that figure had dropped to 42 percent.
President Donald Trump called clock changes "ridiculous" and backed the bill. Republican Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana said Trump is "very enthusiastic" about the issue and that the bill would move quickly through the Senate. Kennedy said, "Some of my colleagues oppose it, but I think we'll have a vote soon."
If the Senate approves the bill, the US will permanently switch to daylight saving time. However, those who recall the failed experiment of the 1970s warn that this change could have unintended consequences.
