November 1 will again force most Americans to adjust their clocks, moving them back one hour to 1 a.m. local time. This mandated shift, ending daylight saving time, continues despite widespread public fatigue and expert warnings about its disruptive effects on the nation's health and daily life. The twice-yearly clock change, a federal imposition, persists even as the political class debates its future, unable to deliver a resolution that aligns with the people's clear desire for stability.
This upcoming shift marks the return to standard time, bringing earlier sunsets and more morning daylight through the winter months. The cycle, beginning on the second Sunday in March and concluding on the first Sunday in November, has become a source of national frustration.
Lawmakers from both parties have spent years pushing proposals to either make daylight saving time permanent or eliminate the twice-annual clock change altogether. Despite these efforts, no significant change has become law, highlighting the inertia within the legislative system.
The Unresolved Mandate
The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Sunshine Protection Act of 2022 in July, a measure intended to make daylight saving time permanent. This legislative action, however, faces an uphill battle in the Senate, where the same bill passed 4 years ago.
President Trump has personally called politicians, urging their support for the measure. “Hopefully the Senate's going to approve that one,” he stated, indicating a desire to resolve the long-standing issue.
Yet, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-South Dakota, has questioned whether the bill commands enough votes to pass the upper chamber. This internal division within the political class prevents a clear path forward, despite public sentiment and presidential backing.
Several states and U.S. territories already resist this centralized time control. Hawaii, most of Arizona except the Navajo Nation, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands do not observe daylight saving time, remaining on standard time year-round. Their local autonomy stands in contrast to the federal government's ongoing indecision.
Public opinion consistently shows a desire to end the clock changes. A 2023 YouGov survey, conducted 3 years ago, found that 62% of Americans favored eliminating the twice-yearly adjustments. This widespread sentiment underscores the disconnect between the people's will and the legislative process.
Further data from a January 2025 Gallup poll, conducted 1 year and 7 months ago, revealed that 54% of Americans wanted to end daylight saving time. While 48% preferred year-round standard time and 24% favored permanent daylight saving time, the overall message is clear: the nation is tired of the disruption.
The Cost to the People
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. He emphasized that clock changes disrupt circadian rhythms, the body's internal clock that regulates sleep and other biological functions.
The spring time change, specifically, has been linked to severe public health consequences. When clocks move forward an hour, increases in heart attacks and car crashes have been observed. These are direct, measurable costs imposed on the native population by a system the political class seems unwilling or unable to reform.
For now, Americans must plan on another clock change this fall. Congress continues its debate, but no change has become law, extending a tradition that many voters, health experts, and even the president say they're ready to leave behind. The nation endures this imposed disruption, awaiting a resolution that remains elusive.