Senators likely to let daylight saving time bill die before year-end
Despite President Trump's public pressure, the Senate does not expect to vote on making daylight saving time permanent before the midterm elections.
By Stella Brooks ·
Americans in most of the country will turn their clocks back one hour this Sunday as daylight saving time ends. For many, this marks the final chance in 2026 to keep the current schedule. The Senate has indicated it is unlikely to vote on the House-passed bill that would make daylight saving time permanent before the year concludes.
This decision defies the direct pressure from President Donald Trump. He has spent weeks urging Senate Republicans to pass the legislation and send it to his desk. The president argued that permanent daylight saving time would provide more evening light for activities like golf and reduce the risk of accidents during early morning commutes.
The push for change follows a pattern of recent frustration. In a poll conducted last year, 12% of American adults supported the current twice-yearly time change, while nearly half opposed it. Groups including the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine have long advocated for a single standard time.
Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas has emerged as the most vocal opponent. He noted that Congress has tried making daylight saving time permanent before and repealed it after winter sunrises became too late for many residents. Cotton drew attention earlier this month when Trump posted his personal cell phone number on social media and urged the senator to get the job done.
Other Republicans from northern states share Cotton's concerns. Senator Mike Rounds of South Dakota said the change would mean sending children to school in the dark. Senator Bernie Moreno of Ohio stated plainly that the bill has no chance of passing soon. Senator Todd Young of Indiana described the House bill as a non-starter for Senate leadership.
The Senate returns to Washington after the November 3 midterm elections. With limited time remaining before the year ends, few senators believe the bill will reach a floor vote. This mirrors the outcome of 1973, when Congress tried permanent daylight saving time during an energy crisis but repealed the law by October due to public backlash over late sunrises.
Senator John Thune of South Dakota, the Senate Majority Leader, has not commented publicly on the current bill. However, he has voted against similar versions in the past. The current situation leaves the status quo in place, requiring Americans to continue adjusting their clocks twice a year.
