Permanent Daylight Saving Time Hits a Senate Roadblock

The push to make Daylight Saving Time permanent has hit a significant roadblock in the U.S. Senate, offering some encouraging news for Orthodox families concerned about how an hour-later winter sunrise could affect Shacharis, minyan, school, and work schedules.

The House passed H.R. 139, the Sunshine Protection Act, in July by a striking 308–117 vote, and President Donald Trump strongly supports the measure. Despite that momentum, the bill has stalled in the Senate.

The issue resurfaced after Trump renewed his push for Senate action and publicly clashed with Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas, one of the bill’s strongest Republican opponents. Cotton has remained firmly opposed, warning about dark winter mornings. Trump responded by publicly pressuring him and even posting what he said was Cotton’s cellphone number.

More important for the bill’s prospects, Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Octaober 5 that there is “no clear path forward or consensus” on the legislation. No Senate vote is currently scheduled.

That also settles the immediate question of what will happen with the approaching clock change. Aside from pro forma sessions at which no legislative business is expected, the Senate will not return for regular business until November 9. Americans will therefore still turn their clocks back one hour on Sunday, November 1.

The bill, however, remains alive. The Senate could revisit H.R. 139 after the election. If it does not clear the Senate and reach the president before the 119th Congress ends, it dies, and supporters would have to start again in the next Congress.

That makes the coming weeks an important opportunity for those concerned about permanent Daylight Saving Time to speak up. There is no vote scheduled, but the Senate has not rejected the bill either, and its future remains unsettled.

Agudath Israel of America continues to urge those concerned about the impact on the Orthodox community to contact their senators. For New Yorkers, that means Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand.

Agudath Israel’s current action alert is available at:

https://agudah.org/take-action-ask-the-senate-to-stop-permanent-daylight-saving-time 

For now, Orthodox families can be relieved that the clocks will still fall back on November 1. But with the Senate returning eight days later and the bill still alive, this remains an important time to make sure lawmakers understand why the issue matters to the community.