Daylight Savings Time 2025: When should we turn back our clocks?
As autumn deepens across the United States, people are preparing to turn back the clocks to end daylight saving time.
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The future of time change in the United States remains uncertain. President Donald Trump has backed a bill that would permanently establish daylight saving time and eliminate twice-yearly clock adjustments, but the idea faces stiff resistance in the Senate and it is unclear whether it will get the votes needed to pass.
The bill, recently approved by the House of Representatives with bipartisan support, aims to end a practice that millions of Americans repeat every spring and fall.
But as USA TODAY reported, Republican and Democratic leaders are divided, largely due to geography and the potential impact on daily life.
What would change in the project to eliminate time changes?
The proposal, known as the Sunshine Protection Act, would make daylight saving time permanent for much of the country. In practice, this means that the clock will stop moving forward in the spring and back in the fall, eliminating the need for traditional time changes.
President Trump defended the measure for several years, arguing that adjusting the clock every six months was an unnecessary hassle. Proponents argue that losing an hour of sleep each spring impacts health, academic and sports performance, and hurts some small businesses.
Republican Rep. Vern Buchanan, the project’s sponsor in the House, argued that an extra hour of afternoon light would boost economic activity in Florida and other states.
Why was the Senate able to block permanent daylight saving time?
The main obstacle is the lack of clear agreement from the Senate. Republican Majority Leader John Thune acknowledged he was unsure whether the bill would reach the 60 votes needed to pass. Even within his own party, there are opposing positions.
Several Republican senators, including Tom Cotton and John Boozman, think keeping the current system in place is the easiest option.
Other councilors, such as Jerry Moran, expressed concern that permanent daylight savings time would leave many students waiting for school buses before dawn for part of the year.
Workers in sectors such as construction have also been warned they could face greater risks if they start their day without natural light.
What’s going on with the time change debate?
Congress already experimented with permanent daylight saving time during the 1970s energy crisis.
This measure was quickly withdrawn as a large part of the population rejected it, especially since the mornings were dark during the winter months.
The current debate also does not follow strictly partisan lines. Lawmakers from both parties will support or reject the proposal, depending largely on the state’s geographic location and how its annual sunshine hours vary. This division makes it difficult to win a large enough majority to approve this initiative.
What’s next for the project to make daylight saving time permanent?
I don’t have time for projects. With the midterm elections just over three months away and priorities such as avoiding a federal government shutdown and advancing the farm bill dominating the legislative agenda, the Senate has just a few weeks to debate the initiative.
Some senators think it could still move forward, while others think a vote this year is nearly impossible. If the Senate does not act by the end of the current legislative period, the project could be shelved and the country will continue to change its clocks twice a year, at least for the time being.
Contributed by: USA TODAY
Boris Q’va is a national Spanish language trends news reporter for Connect/USA TODAY Network. You can follow on X: @BorisQva or write to email BBalsindesUrquiola@gannett.com.
