Heinrich Reintroduces Bipartisan Bill To Make Daylight Saving Time Permanent

WASHINGTON — Ahead of Daylight Saving Time, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) reintroduced the Sunshine Protection Act of 2023. Led by U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), the bipartisan legislation would end the antiquated practice of changing clocks twice a year.

“More time for sunshine. Less time changing your clocks. Let’s pass the bipartisan Sunshine Protection Act this Congress,” said Heinrich.

Daylight Saving Time (DST) was enacted in the United States following Germany’s 1916 effort to conserve fuel during World War I, and its period of observance has since been lengthened. Originally mandated for six months, in 2005, Congress extended DST to begin the second Sunday in March and end the first Sunday in November. As a result, the United States now enjoys eight months of DST, and only four months of standard time (November-March). The United States has also gone through periods of year - round DST, including 1942-1945 and 1974-1975.

The Sunshine Protection Act would eliminate the changing of clocks to standard time for those four months. In sum, if enacted, we would not “fall back” in November and would enjoy a full year of DST, instead of only eight months.

This bill does not:

• Alter or change time zones.
• Change the amount of hours of sunlight.
• Mandate those who do not currently observe DST to do so (American Samoa, most of Arizona, Guam, Hawaii, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands).

In addition to Senator Heinrich, U.S. Senators James Lankford (R-Okla.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Rand Paul (R-Ky.), and Ron Wyden (R-Ore.) are original cosponsors of the legislation in the U.S. Senate.

U.S. Representative Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.) introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.