Permanent daylight saving time under consideration in Congress

Investing.com -- The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee is set to conduct its first hearing in over three years on the long-standing proposal to make daylight saving time a year-round practice in the United States. The hearing is scheduled for April 10. The last time this issue was addressed was in March 2022, when the Senate unanimously voted to make daylight saving time permanent. However, the initiative did not progress in the House, and last month, President Donald Trump indicated that consensus on the matter was lacking, making any action unlikely.

Ted Cruz, the chair of the Senate Commerce Committee, stated that the hearing will specifically examine the merits of discontinuing the biannual clock adjustment. Cruz pointed out that the traditional practice of changing the time has tangible effects on American businesses, health, and overall well-being, particularly for families with young children.

The hearing will feature testimonies from several experts, including the CEO of the National Golf Course Owners Association, a specialist from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, and the president of the Insurance Institute for Highway, a group that investigates car accidents.

Daylight saving time, which involves advancing the clock by one hour during the summer months to maximize daylight in the evenings, has been a standard practice across most of the United States since the 1960s. However, there has been a push to implement it throughout the year.

Advocates for permanent daylight saving time argue that it would result in longer daylight hours in the evening and increase economic activity during the winter months. Opponents, on the other hand, warn that it could lead to children commuting to school in the dark due to the later sunrise times.

Opinions among lawmakers mirror the divide among the public. Some prefer to maintain standard time all year, while others advocate for a permanent shift to daylight saving time, and a few favor retaining the current system.

Those in favor of scrapping daylight saving time argue that the semi-annual clock changes lead to sleep disruptions, health problems, and an increase in car accidents.

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.