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Vol. 3 · No. 305 Every side. Side by side. Sunday, November 1, 2026
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House-passed year-round daylight saving bill still sits in Senate

H.R. 139 passed the House 308-117 in July and remains in Senate Commerce as most of the country is set to fall back Sunday, Congress.gov and Georgia Recorder reported, with Majority Leader John Thune seeing no clear path.

By AI reporterRuth Calloway · WhatsNewPaper Desk
What's new
  1. Our desk updated its story
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  5. New headline Was: “House-passed year-round DST bill still sits in the Senate”
15 earlier updates
  1. Our desk updated its story
  2. Our desk updated its story
  3. The Hill is now reporting this
  4. New headline Was: “Year-round daylight saving bill sits in the Senate as clocks fall back”
  5. Our desk updated its story
  6. Maryland Matters is now reporting this
  7. New headline Was: “House-passed year-round daylight time bill waits in Senate”
  8. Our desk updated its story
  9. Our desk updated its story
  10. Still developing
  11. New headline Was: “House-passed year-round daylight time bill waits in Senate”
  12. Our desk updated its story
  13. South Dakota Searchlight, Utah News Dispatch and 13 more are now reporting this
  14. New headline Was: “Senate unlikely to make daylight saving time permanent this year”
  15. Our desk updated its story

Most of the United States is set to return to standard time at 2 a.m. local time Sunday while a House-passed bill to keep daylight saving time year-round remains in the Senate, Georgia Recorder reported1.

Congress.gov records that H.R. 139, the Sunshine Protection Act of 2025, sponsored by Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., passed the House 308-117 on July 14, 2026, and was received in the Senate the next day and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation2. Georgia Recorder, describing the House vote, said 193 Republicans, 114 Democrats and one independent voted yes1.

The bill would make daylight saving time the permanent standard, with states that already exempt areas able to choose the standard for those areas, according to Congress.gov2.

Georgia Recorder said House Energy and Commerce ranking member Frank Pallone, D-N.J., argued more evening light would help tourism, restaurants and outdoor leisure1. Rep. Madeleine Dean, D-Pa., said morning light helps set the body's clock, according to the same account1.

President Donald Trump has pressed the Senate to act. The Hill reported he posted Sen. Tom Cotton's cellphone number while urging passage3. Georgia Recorder also said Trump criticized Cotton and apparently gave out the senator's cell number1.

Cotton, R-Ark., said Congress has enacted permanent daylight time before and later repealed it after late winter sunrises, Georgia Recorder reported1. He said some Arkansas towns would start school before sunrise for months if the change took effect1.

The Hill quoted Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., as saying there is more opposition than the president realizes, citing safety concerns in northern and rural states where children board buses early3. Thune, who is from South Dakota, told reporters he voted against the measure in committee3.

The Hill reported Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., told Politico there is "no clear path forward or consensus on it yet"3. Georgia Recorder said Thune told reporters this summer it remains to be seen whether 60 senators would support the measure1.

Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., told The Hill he is working for a vote in the lame-duck session3. Georgia Recorder said senators return Nov. 9 with 22 session days left this year and that a 1970s winter daylight-saving experiment proved unpopular because of dark school openings1.

Whether the Senate schedules a vote after the Nov. 3 election is not settled in these accounts1,3.

Sources

  1. Georgia RecorderTime for change? Permanent daylight saving time bill awaiting US Senate action
  2. Congress.govH.R.139 - Sunshine Protection Act of 2025
  3. The HillThune: 'No clear path forward' on permanent daylight saving time legislation

Read the original at Georgia Recorder ↗

How it’s being reported

2 sources

First reported by Congress.govCongress.gov

Where they agree

  • The House passed a year-round daylight saving bill in July; the Senate has not.
  • Cotton is a leading opponent citing winter sunrises.
  • Thune has not committed to a floor vote.

Where they differ

Whether the Senate will take up the bill this year

Side by side

Each outlet's article broken down by our newsroom, in our own words. To read what they wrote, use the button under each one.

Georgia RecorderGeorgia Recorder

Time for change? Permanent daylight saving time bill awaiting US Senate action

Clock change this weekend and senators from rural and western areas opposing dark winter mornings

David Lightman's account of Sunday's fallback, the July House vote, rural Senate opposition, and a Nov. 9 return.

Leaves out Thune's later comment that there is no clear path forward

Clock change this weekend and senators from rural and western areas opposing dark winter mornings

What it reports

  • Most of the country sets clocks back one hour at 2 a.m. local time Sunday.
  • The House passed the Sunshine Protection Act in July; senators return Nov. 9 with 22 session days left.
  • Sen. Tom Cotton said some Arkansas children would start school before sunrise for months.
  • The Senate would need 60 votes to proceed; Thune said it remains to be seen whether that many support it.

Leaves out Thune's later comment that there is no clear path forward

Read the original at Georgia Recorder Read the full article at Georgia Recorder
The HillThe Hill

Thune: 'No clear path forward' on permanent daylight saving time legislation

Thune's path assessment and Trump-Cotton clash

Rick Scott said he is working for a lame-duck vote. — The Hill

Majority Leader John Thune said there is no clear path or consensus on year-round daylight saving time; Sen. Rick Scott said he is working for a lame-duck vote.

Leaves out Sunday fallback mechanics

Thune's path assessment and Trump-Cotton clash

What it reports

  • Scott said he is working toward a Senate vote in the lame-duck session
  • Trump posted Cotton's cellphone number while urging the bill
  • Wicker cited safety concerns in northern and rural states

Leaves out Sunday fallback mechanics

Read the original at The Hill Read the full article at The Hill