Trump Pushes Senate To Make Daylight Saving Time Permanent
President Donald Trump is urging the Senate to make daylight saving time permanent after the House overwhelmingly approved legislation that would end the twice-a-year ritual of changing clocks.
The House passed the Sunshine Protection Act in a bipartisan 308-117 vote back in July. The bill would keep clocks one hour ahead throughout the year, giving Americans later sunsets during the winter months while eliminating the “spring forward” and “fall back” time changes.
Despite clearing the House by a wide margin, the proposal has not yet received a vote in the Senate. Trump has personally pressed senators to approve the legislation, telling reporters in late July that he hoped the upper chamber would act.
“Hopefully the Senate’s going to approve that one,” Trump said.
Unless the Senate passes the bill and Trump signs it into law, Americans will still turn their clocks back one hour on November 1. Daylight saving time began this year on March 8.
The president has argued that changing clocks twice every year is inconvenient and costly. The White House has also said making daylight saving time permanent would eliminate unnecessary disruptions for families and businesses while saving Americans hundreds of millions of dollars in lost time and productivity.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has joined the administration’s push. In a recent letter to lawmakers, Duffy asked Congress to include permanent daylight saving time in a broader transportation package that must be renewed by the end of September.
Duffy argued that providing more daylight during the hours when Americans are most frequently driving could prevent traffic deaths.
Under the Sunshine Protection Act, daylight saving time would become the national year-round standard. States that currently do not observe daylight saving time, including Hawaii and most of Arizona, could continue using permanent standard time. Other states would also be given an opportunity to opt out before the federal change takes effect.
The legislation has encountered resistance from lawmakers concerned about darker winter mornings. Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) has emerged as one of its leading Republican opponents, warning that permanent daylight saving time would force millions of children to travel to school before sunrise.
Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) has raised similar concerns about children in northern states waiting for school buses or walking to school in the dark.
The airline industry has also requested sufficient time to prepare for any change. Airlines for America warned that suddenly moving to permanent daylight saving time could complicate international schedules, aircraft positioning and crew assignments.
Sleep researchers generally agree that eliminating the time change would reduce the short-term health effects associated with losing an hour of sleep. However, many medical groups favor permanent standard time instead of permanent daylight saving time because morning sunlight more closely aligns with the body’s natural circadian rhythm.
The United States previously experimented with permanent daylight saving time during the 1970s energy crisis. Congress reversed the policy after public support fell, largely because of concerns about children traveling to school during dark winter mornings.
Still, public frustration with changing clocks remains widespread.
The Senate unanimously passed a similar Sunshine Protection Act in 2022, but the measure stalled in the House and expired. This time, the House has acted first, leaving the bill’s future in the hands of Senate leaders.
With Trump openly supporting the proposal and lawmakers facing another clock change in November, advocates believe Congress has its strongest opportunity in years to finally “lock the clock.”
BREAKING: Dolly Parton’s Cause Of Death Revealed: ‘Brief Battle’
Dolly Parton’s death came after a brief battle with cancer, her representatives revealed Tuesday.
The country music legend died Aug. 25 at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville. She was 80.
Parton had been admitted to the cancer center Friday, four days before her death. Her representatives confirmed the cancer diagnosis in a statement to PEOPLE but did not disclose what type she had.
“Our beloved Dolly Parton spent her life and career bringing joy, laughter, hope and integrity into everything she touched. Her unmatched generosity reached the lives of countless people whom she would never meet, yet she was always there to offer a helping hand,” the statement read.
“Whether it be the hundreds of millions of books donated through her invaluable Imagination Library or funding research that helped create a lifesaving vaccine used around the world, Dolly’s unconditional love for all people was the guiding force for her lasting impact. After bravely facing a brief battle with cancer, Dolly departed her Earthly life today at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center surrounded by loved ones,” the statement concluded.
The “Jolene” singer had also been dealing with kidney and autoimmune issues before her death, PEOPLE previously reported.
Just days earlier, Dolly Parton opened up about her declining health and acknowledged that she had put off addressing some medical issues while caring for her husband, Carl.
“As I’ve shared in video messages throughout the past year, I am dealing with some health issues that I just didn’t pay attention to when I was watching over [my husband] Carl. You know, this isn’t the first time I’ve had to manage something like this. Back in the early ’80s, I was down for several months with female issues, and I was struggling with my weight at the time too, so it’s not like I haven’t been through hard times with my health,” Parton told PEOPLE.
Her nephew, Bryan Seaver, announced her death in an Instagram video Tuesday on behalf of the Parton and Owens family.
“My name is Bryan Seaver, son of Cassie Parton, and I’m representing the Parton and Owens family today announcing the passing of my aunt, Dolly Rebecca Parton Dean, Sister, Sis and Granny to one generation and Gigi to the next,” he says in the video.
Seaver, who served as Parton’s head of security for more than two decades, said she had asked him years earlier to deliver the announcement.
“This video announcement is something Dolly asked of me years ago, before I fully absorbed it as a future reality,” he continued. “As her head of security for more than two decades, a role my father Larry held before me, I have imagined the heaviness of this moment but haven’t truly felt it until now.”
Seaver said the moment brought immense pride and heartbreak, but he took comfort in his faith that Parton had been reunited with Carl and other loved ones.
Seaver added: “It is an honor, an honor that is mixed with absolute pride and great sadness. But sadness lies with us, not with Dolly. Dolly has lived in the light and is in the arms of Jesus, surely met by Carl, her parents and countless othe
Shocking 'truth' behind Prince Harry's decision to quit major role
Prince Harry should have "resigned in disgrace" from the board of a controversial African wildlife charity, a commentator says. James Walker makes the bombshell remark in Wednesday's episode of this publication's podcast, Daily Expresso.
He and the show's host, JJ Anisiobi, delve into the Duke of Sussex's dramatic decision to step down from African Parks. James, commenting on the controversy, said: "When you hear about this stuff and how long it's been going on for, you should be resigning in disgrace. [Harry] should be saying: 'I'm not touching that with a barge pole. That is a failed entity. We're going nowhere near it'.
"But no. He's still saying he's going to 'support their mission'. And again this Caroline Pearce, executive director of Survival International, goes on to say: 'His departure doesn't undo that record'.
"She alleged that African Parks was aware of the abuses for years, but it was only after Survival complained to Harry that the charity finally commissioned an investigation."
James added: "Well, she's got a point."
It emerged on Monday (August 24) that Harry was no longer a board member of the wildlife charity.
The conservation organisation has admitted that human rights abuses were committed by its rangers against members of the semi-nomadic Baka group in Congo-Brazzaville.
African Parks has said since that it has improved its safeguarding processes both in the Odzala-Kokoua National Park and institutionally.
Its admission followed an independent human rights investigation into allegations guards managed and paid by the charity had beaten, raped and tortured indigenous people in Odzala-Kokoua National Park.
Harry was president of the charity for six years before he became a member of its board of directors in 2023.
A spokesman for the Duke said he remains an active and avid supporter of African Parks. He added: "The Duke is proud of his 10 years with African Parks and fully supports the ongoing strengthening of its board.
"His commitment to conservation in Africa continues and he remains a supporter of African Parks’ mission."
Human rights organisation, Survival International, said it had been calling on Harry to step down from African Parks for years.
The group's director, Caroline Pearce, said in a statement: "It’s outrageous that for 10 years Prince Harry has served African Parks while the organisation has been responsible for abuse and violence against Indigenous people.
"His departure doesn't undo that record — African Parks itself must now be held accountable, and must abandon this model of fortress conservation for good."
Survival International said indigenous peoples know how best to manage their land and the idea outsiders know better is racist and colonial.
