Americans will set their clocks back one hour at 2 a.m. on Sunday, November 1, despite years of congressional efforts to end the twice-annual ritual that polls show most voters want eliminated. The shift marks the return to standard time and brings earlier sunsets through winter months.
The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill in July to make daylight saving time permanent, but Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-South Dakota, has questioned whether the measure has enough votes to pass the upper chamber. President Trump is personally calling politicians urging them to support it. "Hopefully the Senate's going to approve that one," he said.
Legislative Gridlock Continues
Lawmakers from both parties have spent years pushing proposals to either make daylight saving time permanent or eliminate the twice-annual clock change altogether. The Sunshine Protection Act of 2022 passed the U.S. Senate 4 years ago, but none of these efforts have made it across the finish line. While several bills have advanced, Congress continues debating the issue without resolution.
Daylight saving time begins on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November. Several states and U.S. territories already don't observe daylight saving time and stay on standard time year-round: Hawaii, most of Arizona except the Navajo Nation, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands.
Public Support for Change
Polls suggest many Americans are tired of adjusting their clocks twice a year. A 2023 YouGov survey conducted 3 years ago found that 62% of Americans favored eliminating the twice-yearly clock changes. A January 2025 Gallup poll conducted 1 year and 7 months ago found that 54% wanted to end daylight saving time, with 48% preferring year-round standard time and 24% favoring permanent daylight saving time.
Many sleep and health experts argue that changing clocks twice a year disrupts the body's natural rhythm. Erik Herzog, a biology and neuroscience professor at Washington University in St. Louis and former president of the Society for Research on Biological Rhythms, previously told USA TODAY that permanent standard time would be the healthiest option. Herzog said clock changes disrupt circadian rhythms, the body's internal clock that regulates sleep and other biological functions.
The spring time change, when clocks move forward an hour, is especially tough on the body and has been linked to increases in heart attacks and car crashes. For now, Americans should plan on another clock change this fall. While Congress continues debating whether to make daylight saving time permanent or end seasonal clock changes altogether, no change has become law. That means most of the country will still set clocks back one hour on November 1, extending a tradition that many voters, health experts and even the president say they're ready to leave behind.
Why This Matters:
The continued failure to resolve the daylight saving time question represents a classic case of congressional dysfunction on an issue where public consensus exists and the solution requires minimal government intervention. With 62% of Americans favoring elimination of clock changes and documented health impacts including increased heart attacks and car crashes, the inability to pass straightforward legislation reflects institutional paralysis. States like Arizona and Hawaii have already demonstrated that opting out works without federal mandates. The economic costs of twice-yearly disruptions—from scheduling confusion to productivity losses—continue accumulating while lawmakers debate. Presidential involvement signals executive frustration with legislative inaction on a matter that affects every American household and business twice annually.