WASHINGTON, July 17 (DC Times Online) — The U.S. House has approved a bill that would end the twice-yearly switch between standard time and daylight saving time, moving the proposal one step closer to becoming federal law.
The House passed H.R. 139, the Sunshine Protection Act, by a vote of 308-117, according to Reuters, NBC News, The New York Times and CBS News. The measure now goes to the Senate.
What the bill would do
Daylight saving time is the part of the year when clocks are set forward by one hour. Under the bill passed by the House, that system would become permanent nationwide. In practical terms, the country would stop changing clocks in the spring and fall.
The House Committee on Energy and Commerce said in a statement that the legislation is meant to make daylight saving time permanent. Rep. Vern Buchanan, whom the committee identified as the sponsor of the bipartisan Sunshine Protection Act, said the House took “an important step toward ending the outdated practice of changing our clocks twice a year.”
Why the issue matters
The time change affects nearly everyone in the country, which is why it comes up often in Congress and in state governments. A permanent daylight saving time system would change how Americans experience daylight through the year, especially in the evening and early morning.
At the same time, the proposal would not affect every state in the same way. Reuters, NBC News, CBS News and The New York Times reported that states could opt out or exempt themselves under the legislation. CBS News also noted that Hawaii and most of Arizona already use standard time year-round.
Where the bill stands now
The House vote does not finish the process. The Senate must approve the measure before it can become law.
The House committee said the Sunshine Protection Act had also been included in the Motor Vehicle Modernization Act, which the committee approved 48-1. That history shows the issue has been moving through Congress for some time, even though a final national change still depends on Senate action.
For now, the main takeaway is simple: the House has voted to stop the clock changes. The next question is whether the Senate will agree.
