Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said Republicans still lack a clear path to permanently extend daylight saving time, despite President Donald Trump’s escalating push for Congress to pass the Sunshine Protection Act, according to a report on Monday.
Trump Steps Up Pressure On Republicans
“The president feels strongly on it like he does a lot of issues,” Thune said during a campaign stop in Minnesota, speaking to Politico. “It’s something we’re having conversations about but there’s no clear path forward or consensus on it yet.”
Trump intensified pressure over the weekend, repeatedly urging lawmakers to “LOCK THE CLOCK” and singling out Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), a longtime opponent of permanent daylight time. Trump even posted Cotton’s personal cellphone number on Truth Social while urging supporters to contact him, according to Politico.
The Sunshine Protection Act, introduced by Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), would make daylight saving time permanent nationwide rather than requiring most Americans to change their clocks twice a year. Scott has repeatedly pushed Congress to end seasonal clock changes.
Dark Winter Mornings Drive GOP Opposition
The bill has drawn opposition from senators representing states where permanent daylight time would produce particularly dark winter mornings. Cotton has argued that children could travel to school before sunrise. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) similarly cited “safety concerns in the more northern and rural states where children get on the school bus in very early hours.”
Thune said geography helps explain the divide. “A lot of it depends on where you are in the country,” he said, adding that “your geography probably has as much to do with your position on that as anything.”
Benzinga reached out to the White House for comment on Thune’s interview but did not receive an immediate response.
Research has also complicated the debate. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine favors eliminating seasonal clock changes but recommends permanent standard time, rather than permanent daylight time, because morning light better aligns with human circadian biology.
Congress Has Struggled With Clock Changes
Congress has wrestled with the issue before. The Senate unanimously passed an earlier Sunshine Protection Act in 2022, but the House never took it up. The current proposal would exempt states such as Arizona and Hawaii that already remain on standard time.
Trump has repeatedly called for permanent daylight saving time, though his position has shifted over the years.
Scott nevertheless remains confident, telling Politico earlier this year, “I’m going to make sure it gets passed this year.” Thune’s comments suggest Senate leadership does not yet see the votes or agreement needed to make that happen.
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