The Senate unanimously approved a bill on Tuesday to make daylight saving time permanent days after the public set its clocks ahead an hour for spring.
If the legislation is passed by the House and signed by President Joe Biden, the public would no longer change its clocks twice a year.
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Sen. Marco Rubio, who introduced the bipartisan bill, said in remarks on the Senate floor, “One has to ask themselves why we keep doing this.”
Passed by Unanimous Consent, S.623: Sunshine Protection Act, as amended (to make Daylight Saving Time permanent) @SenRubioPress / @SenWhitehouse / others
— Senate Cloakroom (@SenateCloakroom) March 15, 2022
“A majority of the American people’s preference is just to stop the back and forth changing,” the Florida Republican said, arguing the changes have adverse health and safety effects, in addition to a practical inconvenience.
Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, who was presiding over the Senate, could be heard whispering, “Oh, I love it,” as the bill was introduced. And the Arizona Democrat said “Yes!” as it passed.
? WATCH: Senator Rubio speaks on the Senate floor following the unanimous passage of his Sunshine Protection Act to make Daylight Saving Time permanent. #LocktheClock ? pic.twitter.com/q3EF9Y8Uy6
— Senator Rubio Press (@SenRubioPress) March 15, 2022
Rubio said that if the proposal is signed by Biden, it wouldn’t be implemented until next year to give industries such as airlines and broadcast media time to adjust their schedules.
“The good news is that we can get this passed,” Rubio said. “We don’t have to keep doing this stupidity anymore. Why we would enshrine this in our laws and keep it for so long is beyond me. Hopefully, this is the year that this gets done. And pardon the pun, but this is an idea whose time has come.”
Benjamin Franklin was an early supporter of the concept of daylight saving time as a means to save energy. Daylight saving was first introduced in the United States in 1918 as an energy saving measure during World War I, and another adjustment to clocks known as “war time” was implemented from 1942-1945 during World War II. The practice became standard in 1966, with brief adjustments in the 1970s.
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Nearly two-thirds want to end the biannual clock changes, according to an Economist/YouGov poll in November.
