WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump has again pressured the US
Senate to pass a bill that seeks to end the twice-yearly clock changes and
permanently establish daylight saving time.
The proposal, known as the Sunshine Protection Act, has
already passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 308 to 117 and now
faces its next test in the Senate, where there is still insufficient consensus
to guarantee its passage.
Trump has publicly endorsed the initiative and urged
Republican senators to move forward with the bill, arguing that the time
changes are an unnecessary practice that generates costs and inconveniences for
millions of Americans.
If it becomes law, states that currently observe daylight
saving time could maintain it year-round, eliminating the traditional spring
and fall clock adjustments. The legislation also allows certain states to
choose to maintain standard time permanently under specific conditions.
Proponents of the measure argue that maintaining an extra
hour of daylight in the evenings could boost economic activity, tourism,
recreation, and public safety. They also contend that ending the biannual
changes would prevent disruptions to the routines of millions of people.