US House approves permanent daylight saving time, but bill stalls in Senate

The debate over daylight saving time has returned to the center of American politics. This weekend, daylight saving time ends in the United States and the clocks go back one hour, while Congress continues to decide whether the biannual change will end, according to a report from Bloomberg Television.

In July, the House of Representatives approved by 308 votes to 117 the advancement of the Sunshine Protection Act, an updated project presented by Florida Republican Representative Vern Buchanan to make daylight saving time permanent. The measure would end the ritual of moving the clock forward by one hour in March and back by one hour in November. The text, however, is stuck in the Senate, which has so far not taken any action on the proposal, according to the report.

Arguments for and against

Proponents of permanent daylight saving time say the change would bring darker mornings but an extra hour of daylight in the evening. According to them, this would encourage more time outdoors, reduce crime, reduce traffic accidents and cut energy consumption. Buchanan called the current practice outdated and frustrating for families, workers, schools and small businesses across the country.

There is, however, a trend that advocates another solution: adopting standard time all year round, as Hawaii, American territories and most of Arizona do. This option anticipates sunset and brings an extra hour of light in the morning. Its defenders argue that children perform more at school and workers are more attentive.

A parliamentarian opposed to the project cited, in plenary, the experience of the 1970s and stated that children died when going to school in the dark during the attempt at permanent summer time. He asked colleagues to vote against the proposal.

A debate lasting more than a century

The discussion is not new. In March 1918, Congress adopted daylight saving time to conserve energy during World War I, but farmers disapproved because the changes disrupted their work schedules. In April 1966, the Uniform Time Act standardized the start and end of daylight saving time for most of the country. On December 14, 1973, President Richard Nixon signed a law that eliminated time changes for two years, as a solution to save energy during the oil embargo.

Today, 19 states have laws supporting year-round daylight saving time, but the final say rests with Congress. President Donald Trump asked, on the Truth Social network, that senators approve the Sunshine Protection Act, because, in his words, "most people are demanding light at night."

For the investor, the topic has indirect relevance: the transcript does not provide estimates of the impact on the stock market, interest rates, the dollar or public accounts. What the episode shows is Washington's difficulty in resolving, even with a large majority in the Chamber, an issue of apparent consensus. Until the Senate moves, Americans will continue to adjust their clocks twice a year.

Automatically translated from Portuguese.