US Senate Stalls Federal Bill to End Clock Changes
The US Senate has declined to act on the Sunshine Protection Act as Massachusetts pursues its own state-level plan to eliminate biannual time changes.
Americans in 48 states will set their clocks back one hour at 2 a.m. on November 1, 2026, as daylight saving time ends. This transition coincides with Halloween, a rare overlap that will not happen again until 2036.
Federal efforts to end these biannual changes have stalled in the US Senate. The House of Representatives passed the Sunshine Protection Act in July with a 308-118 vote, a measure supported by Donald Trump. The president lobbied the Senate to make daylight saving time permanent to boost winter tourism and increase evening light. However, opponents like Senator Tom Cotton warn that the change would create hazardous, dark winter mornings for students and commuters.
While federal legislation remains stagnant, the Massachusetts Senate advanced a separate bill on Thursday to move the state to Atlantic Standard Time year-round. Senate President Karen Spilka endorsed the measure, which would only take effect if at least two neighboring states adopt similar changes. If passed, the governor would petition the US Department of Transportation for an official time zone change.
Critics of permanent daylight saving time, including the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, argue that the shift disrupts circadian rhythms. In the US Senate, Senator John Kennedy has expressed deep skepticism regarding the federal bill's viability.
