Washington: US President Donald Trump has renewed his criticism of the Senate over its failure to move forward with legislation that would end the twice-yearly practice of changing clocks, saying Americans should not have to deal with the disruption any longer.
In a fresh post on Truth Social, Trump complained about the early arrival of darkness following the recent switch back to standard time. He cited a sunset at 5:06 pm and said it was already dark by 5:31 pm, contrasting the shorter evenings with the brighter conditions experienced only days earlier.
The president referred to the proposed Sunshine Protection Act, jokingly describing it alongside an alternative name, the “I Don’t Want to Change My Clocks Anymore Act”. He argued that the Senate’s failure to consider the measure had left the clock-changing system in place.
Donald Trump also linked his decision to speak more forcefully on the issue to the recent election, saying he had held back from making it a major subject beforehand because he did not want certain senators to lose their races by a large margin.
House approval has not translated into Senate action
The legislation received 308 votes in favour and 117 against in the House of Representatives in July. However, it remains pending in the Senate, where lawmakers have not approved the proposal.
The Sunshine Protection Act would make daylight saving time permanent, ending the annual adjustment in spring and autumn. Under the proposal, most Americans would retain the later summer-time schedule throughout the year, although states could choose to observe permanent standard time.
Debate over darker winter mornings
The plan has supporters who favour more daylight during evening hours and an end to the disruption caused by changing clocks. However, concerns remain over the prospect of later sunrises during winter, particularly for schoolchildren and people travelling to work early in the morning.
The United States returned to standard time on November 1, bringing the familiar shift to earlier sunsets. Trump acknowledged that the country faced other significant priorities but said he intended to continue pressing lawmakers to act on the legislation.
