On Tuesday, the United States Senate enacted legislation that would make daylight saving time permanent, starting from 2023. The legislation would terminate the twice-annual clock changes in favor of brighter afternoons and more economic activity. The legislation is called the Sunshine Protection Act.
The law must yet be passed by the House of Representatives before it can be given to President Joe Biden for signature. Biden’s support for it has not been confirmed by the White House. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi refused to specify if she supported the bill but said she was evaluating it carefully.
Senator Marco Rubio, one of the Sunshine Protection Act’s sponsors, stated that backers agreed that the change would not occur until November 2023, following input from broadcasters and airlines.
According to supporters, the change will allow children to play outside later and minimize seasonal depression.
Marco Rubio stated that while this problem was not critical for America at this time, it was one of the topics that sparked numerous conversations. It was critical, he said, to pass the bill and stop dealing with this nonsense.
The National Association of Convenience Stores, on the other hand, is opposed to the shift, stating that children should not be sent to school in the dark, per report.
The majority of the United States started daylight saving time on Sunday, advancing one hour. In November, the United States will return to standard time. About 30 states have submitted legislation to cease the twice-yearly changing of the clocks since 2015, with others proposing to do so only if neighboring states follow suit.
Last week, the House Energy and Commerce Committee convened a hearing on the topic. The committee’s chairman, Representative Frank Pallone, stated that the loss of one hour of sleep might have an impact on humans and disrupt the sleeping cycles of our children and pets. Daylight savings time, according to Beth Malow, head of the Vanderbilt Sleep Division, makes it more difficult to remain attentive in the morning, stating it’s like living in a different time zone for about eight months of the year.