Today could be the last time that people in the United States need to spring their clocks forward for daylight saving time.
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) reintroduced the "Sunshine Protection Act" of 2023 into the Senate last week, which seeks to make daylight saving time permanent and eliminate the "fall back" of clocks in the fall. Daylight saving time is currently observed for eight months of the year, with most states falling back to "standard time" for four months in the winter.
DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME 2023: DO I NEED TO SET MY CLOCK FORWARD OR BACKWARD THIS WEEKEND?
“Americans across the United States agree that changing clocks twice a year is dumb," Rubio told the Washington Examiner in an emailed statement. "Keeping America on Daylight Saving Time all year long is common sense, and it is what states are demanding. The Senate passed the bill unanimously last year, and there is no reason we should not do so again. I welcome a good debate, but there is no reason not to act. This is an idea whose time has come.”
Sens. James Lankford (R-OK), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Ed Markey (D-MA), Rick Scott (R-FL), and Rand Paul (R-KY) are among the bipartisan co-sponsors of the bill.
“Over the years, I’ve fought and won to extend daylight saving time — adding two months’ worth of sun to the American people’s calendar," Markey said in a statement. "It’s past time for Congress to broaden its horizons and finally make daylight saving time permanent. With the Sunshine Protection Act, we can shine a light on the darkest days of the year and deliver more sun, more smiles, and brighter skies.”
Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL) introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives, citing economic and health benefits. Rubio's legislation passed the Senate unanimously last year but was killed in the House after it was never brought to a vote.
Although 19 states have passed laws that would move the state to permanent daylight saving time if the federal law passes, and more U.S. citizens have indicated they'd like to move to a permanent daylight saving time than the permanent standard time, the legislation faces more opposition in Congress this year than last, according to the Washington Post.
But instead of a partisan divide, members of Congress are more divided geographically, with those on the coasts pushing for permanent daylight saving and those in the middle of the country opposing it. If daylight saving becomes permanent, states such as Indiana could see a negative impact because it would not see daylight until after 9 a.m. in the winter.
However, if Rubio's legislation passes, it does not require every state to observe daylight saving, allowing those that already observe a permanent standard time, such as Hawaii and portions of Arizona, to continue doing so.
Moving to one specific time year-round would also be beneficial to citizens' health. Studies have shown a greater risk of heart attacks, strokes, and traffic accidents in the days immediately after a time change, but some sleep and medical professionals have indicated that a permanent standard time is better for health than a permanent daylight saving time.
“Eliminating the time changes in March and November would be a welcome change. But research shows permanent daylight saving time overlooks potential health risks that can be avoided by establishing permanent standard time instead,” the American Medical Association trustee Alexander Ding said in November. “Sleep experts are alarmed. Issues other than patient health are driving this debate. It’s time that we wake up to the health implications of clock setting.”
Daylight saving time was spearheaded by Germany and Austria-Hungary during World War I because the countries were hit especially hard by the fuel blockade of the Triple Entente. In 1916, both countries instituted the first daylight saving time in order to conserve fuel needed for electricity.
Most of the Triple Entente, along with a string of neutral nations, followed Germany and Austria-Hungary's lead within months, but the U.S. did not implement the practice until 1918. It was repealed in 1919 due to being unpopular, but was reinstated as an emergency policy during World War II and was discontinued at the end of the war.
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The ensuing decades saw a number of congressional battles over the practice, but the most notable changes consisted of the 1966 Uniform Time Act and the 1973 Emergency Daylight Saving Time Energy Conservation Act.
If legislation for making daylight saving permanent does not pass Congress, residents will need to set their clocks back an hour on Nov. 5, 2023.