America is Set for the "Point of No Return".. The Battle to End Daylight Saving Time Stalls in Congress

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The attempt to end the tradition of changing the clock twice a year in the U.S. Senate stumbled, in a notable development, after the council's session ended this week without the bill being put to a vote.

This comes despite significant political pressure to pass the legislation before the November elections.

The bill, known as the "Sunshine Protection Act," aims to keep states that observe daylight saving time on daylight saving time year-round, so that the clock does not revert to standard time in November. The House of Representatives had passed the bill in July with a majority of 308 votes to 117.

Under current rules, most U.S. states are set to revert to standard time at 2 a.m. on November 1, 2026; meaning Americans will get an extra hour of sleep unless a new law is enacted before that date.

The story is not just about the clock, but what changing it means for daily life. Supporters of keeping daylight saving time year-round say that the extra evening daylight hours could benefit economic and recreational activities, while opponents warn that winter will mean the sun rises very late in many areas, which could cause some children and employees to start their day in the dark.

Ironically, the United States previously implemented year-round daylight saving time in 1974, but the experiment did not last long, as the law was repealed in the same year after it became unpopular with a wide segment of Americans.

As of now, the proposal has not become law, so there is no immediate change: the clock will revert according to the current system in November. It is expected that the issue will resurface when the Senate resumes its work after the elections on November 3.

Interestingly, the United States is not unified on this issue; Hawaii and most of Arizona do not observe daylight saving time, while almost all other states are subject to the current federal system.