US clocks fall back Nov 1 as permanent daylight saving bill stalls in Senate
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The gist
Daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. local time on Nov 1, turning clocks back an hour across most of the US.
The House-backed plan to end the twice-yearly change still awaits a Senate vote.
Background
Daylight saving time is the twice-yearly clock shift the US has observed since 1918, when it was adopted during World War I to conserve fuel; Congress set the modern framework through the Uniform Time Act of 1966. Since 2007 it has begun on the second Sunday in March and ended on the first Sunday in November. The debate is trending now because the House passed the Sunshine Protection Act, which would make daylight saving time permanent, but the Senate has not voted on it and no floor vote is scheduled.
How it unfolded
- Mar 8, 2026Daylight saving time began in 2026 as clocks moved forward one hour.
- Jul 14, 2026The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Sunshine Protection Act 308-117.
- Jul 15, 2026The bill was sent to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation.
- Nov 1, 2026Daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. local time, with clocks turning back one hour to 1 a.m. standard time across most of the United States.
- Nov 9, 2026Lawmakers return to the Capitol after recess.
Who’s saying what
- Support
- President Trump supports the Sunshine Protection Act and accused fellow Republican Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton of holding up the legislation, posting what he said was Cotton's cellphone number and urging people to call and express support.
- Caution
- Tom Cotton noted Congress has tried permanent daylight saving time before, only to go back to the twice-yearly change once Americans experienced absurdly late sunrises in the winter.
- Expert
- Dr. Alex Dimitriu, a psychiatrist and sleep medicine physician, likened changing the clocks twice a year to an hour of jet lag, adding it can be an adjustment for many people.
Still unverified
The sources state the Sunshine Protection Act has not become law and the Senate has not voted on it.