In less than a month, most Americans will lose an hour of sleep as clocks spring forward by one hour to mark the beginning of daylight saving time (DST). This time shift, which extends evening daylight during the warmer months, will take effect on Sunday, March 9, more than four months after it concluded in November.
Daylight saving time has been a long-standing practice in the United States, first implemented in 1918 during World War I as a wartime energy-saving measure. Contrary to popular belief, it was not introduced to benefit farmers. Many farmers opposed the change, as it disrupted their natural schedules. The sun, not the clock, dictated their work, and shifting time forward created obstacles such as delaying morning dew evaporation and interfering with livestock routines.
Despite its contentious nature, DST has remained in effect in most states, with only Arizona and Hawaii, along with U.S. territories such as Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Marianas, opting out. The time shift was officially standardized under the Uniform Time Act of 1966, aiming to create consistency across the country. However, frustration with the twice-annual time change has grown over the years, leading to calls for permanent solutions.
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Efforts to end daylight saving time
For decades, lawmakers and citizens alike have debated whether DST should remain, be abolished entirely, or be made permanent. The push for reform gained traction in 2022 when the U.S. Senate unanimously passed the Sunshine Protection Act, a bill aimed at making daylight saving time permanent. However, the U.S. House of Representatives did not pass the legislation, and former President Joe Biden did not sign it into law.
The debate over DST has continued into recent years, with president President Donald Trump voicing his opposition. In a Dec. 13, 2023, post on Truth Social, he expressed his desire to eliminate daylight saving time and adopt standard time year-round. “The Republican Party will use its best efforts to eliminate Daylight Saving Time, which has a small but strong constituency, but shouldn’t!” he wrote. “Daylight Saving Time is inconvenient, and very costly to our Nation.”
Despite these discussions, no executive action has been taken to end the time change. The decision ultimately remains in the hands of Congress, and unless a new law is passed, Americans will continue adjusting their clocks twice a year.
Who regulates daylight saving time and what comes next?
The oversight of daylight saving time and time zones falls under the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). According to the department, the practice of shifting clocks forward in the spring and back in the fall helps conserve energy and reduce crime. However, many Americans question these benefits, arguing that the disruption to sleep patterns and daily schedules outweighs any potential advantages.
Time changes have been a federal matter since the Standard Time Act of 1918, which first introduced standard daylight saving times. Initially overseen by the Interstate Commerce Commission, this responsibility was transferred to the DOT when the agency was established in 1966.
For now, Americans must continue adjusting to daylight saving time. While some states have passed their own bills advocating for permanent DST, such changes require federal approval before becoming law. Until Congress reaches a consensus, the biannual clock changes will persist, keeping the ongoing debate alive.
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As daylight saving time returns this March, millions will once again set their clocks forward, gaining more evening sunlight but losing an hour of sleep. Whether this tradition will continue indefinitely remains to be seen, but for now, the debate over its future is far from over.
