Good morning; it's 9:25 a.m., or according to your microwave, it's 8:25 a.m. Daylight Saving Time is here, and lawmakers came out swinging this year, pushing for the clock change 'madness' to stop.
Rep. Greg Steube (FL-17) joined a chorus of lawmakers who are pushing for permanent Daylight Saving Time (DST) and not 'fall back' later this year.
"Every year, Floridians and the nation grapple with the clock change chaos. But there's solid evidence supporting permanent Daylight Saving Time," said Steube on X.
"Studies show that instituting permanent DST would reduce vehicle and pedestrian accidents (better visibility), improve public safety (lower crime rates), and have a positive impact on our economy. Back in 2018, I pushed for this in Florida. Let's ditch the clock-changing madness and make DST permanent!" concluded Steube.
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Two other Florida lawmakers, Senators Rick Scott and Marco Rubio, are continuing their push for their bipartisan Sunshine Protection Act to end the twice-yearly time change and make Daylight Saving Time the national year-round standard as well.
In 2018, as Governor of Florida, Senator Scott signed legislation that, pending federal approval, would exempt Florida from the time change practice and allow the state to remain on Daylight Saving Time year-round.
The senators were joined by Senators James Lankford, Alex Padilla, Tommy Tuberville, Ed Markey, Bill Hagerty, Tina Smith, Cindy Hyde-Smith, Rand Paul, Ron Wyden, and Martin Heinrich. Representative Vern Buchanan introduced companion legislation in the House.
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In March 2022, the Senate unanimously passed the Sunshine Protection Act, sending it to the House for action.
Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi never brought the legislation up for a vote despite broad support among lawmakers and the American people.
“It’s time to lock the clock. Floridians are sick of changing their clocks because we all want more sunshine. It’s time for Congress to act, and I’m proud to be leading the bipartisan Sunshine Protection Act with Senator Rubio to get this done. When I was governor of Florida, I signed this bill into law at the state level. Now it’s Washington’s turn, and we should finish the job by passing this good bill today,” said Scott.
Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) issued a statement earlier this week emphasizing the significance of his Sunshine Protection Act, which would make Daylight Saving Time permanent.
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“We’re ‘springing forward’ but should have never ‘fallen back.’ My Sunshine Protection Act would end this stupid practice of changing our clocks back and forth,” said Rubio.
The concept of time zones and daylight saving time (DST) has a fascinating history that dates back to the late 19th century, but some, like Rubio, argue the law is antiquated.
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