Trump Says House Passed Sunshine Protection Act, Pushes Senate to Approve

Trump urges Republican senators to release their holds and clear the hotline so a permanent Daylight Saving Time bill can reach final approval.

First Published: August 4, 2026, 2:48 PM ET

WASHINGTON D.C. — Donald J. Trump said the House of Representatives passed a bill to make Daylight Saving Time permanent, and he pressed the Senate for final approval.

The president framed the biannual clock change as costly and unhealthy, and he tied a permanent shift to lower crime, fewer car accidents and reduced energy bills. He said one extra hour of evening daylight would benefit families, children walking home from school, and the sports, tourism and restaurant industries.

“LET’S PASS THE SUNSHINE PROTECTION ACT, ASAP,” Trump said, calling on Republican senators to release their holds and allow the hotline to clear on the Republican side.

Here is the full post on truthsocial: “For many years, the vast Majority of Americans have asked to make Daylight Saving Time permanent, but no Administration has been able to get it done, until now. I am proud to announce that the House of Representatives has passed the Bill, and it has now gone to the Senate for final approval. People are sick and tired of having to change their clocks twice a year. It is foolish, inconvenient and, in some cases, very costly. For Cities and States with Watchtowers, and hard to reach places, it costs Millions of Dollars. A recent case was made that it is also bad for your health in the anxiety it creates. Leading Medical, Crime, and Economic Studies have shown that ceasing the biannual time change, giving us one extra hour of natural sunlight in the evenings, will help Decrease Robbery and Murder Rates, Reduce Car Accidents (especially those involving Pedestrians!), Lower Risk for Cardiac Issues, Stroke, and Seasonal Depression, Make It Safer for Children to Walk Home from School, Increase Time with your Family, Strongly Support Extracurricular Activities, Boost the Sports, Fitness, Tourism, Retail, and Restaurant Industries (and more!), and Save Money on Energy Bills, because everyone will be enjoying an EXTRA HOUR OF DAYLIGHT. In other words, leave it as it is now, and never change again. This is an issue that Republicans, Democrats, and Independents can unite behind. I am asking Republican Senators to release their holds, and allow the hotline to clear on the Republican side. LET’S PASS THE SUNSHINE PROTECTION ACT, ASAP. Thank you for your attention to this matter! Trump” on August 4, 2026 at 6:30 PM ET.

This is Trump’s 16th message released today, and the last post was 1 minute ago, and it is not part of a thread. On average, Trump produces 18 posts per day since his inauguration on January 20, 2025. The move fits a broader pattern in Trump’s recent messaging, with 43 of his 419 posts over the last 30 days classified as Domestic Policy posts.

The legislation carries stakes for households, retailers and utilities across the country. Supporters say longer evening light helps evening commerce and outdoor recreation. Critics of permanent Daylight Saving Time warn of darker winter mornings for schoolchildren and commuters. The clock change touches nearly every American, since the twice-yearly shift interrupts sleep, scheduling and travel each spring and fall.

For the average reader, the practical effect would be an end to the ritual of resetting clocks every March and November. A permanent shift would fix evening sunlight later throughout the year. That change would alter when families eat dinner, when children play outside and when stores see foot traffic after work.

This has happened before, at least in part. The Uniform Time Act established the current framework of standard and daylight time. Congress briefly imposed year-round Daylight Saving Time during an energy crisis in the 1970s before reversing course amid complaints about dark winter mornings. Individual states have since passed measures seeking permanent Daylight Saving Time, though federal law requires congressional action to make the change stick.

The next move rests with the Senate, which must decide whether to advance the bill Trump described. A date for a Senate vote has not been announced.

Efforts to end the clock change have stalled in Washington before, as happened again in this fight. A version of the Sunshine Protection Act cleared the Senate by unanimous consent in 2022, then died in the House without a vote, according to congress.gov. Lawmakers reintroduced the measure in later sessions without final passage, according to congress.gov. Each attempt left the twice-yearly ritual intact, and the sponsors who championed it watched the calendar reset again.