The Senate on Tuesday passed legislation to make Daylight Saving Time permanent.
The measure, written by Sen. Edward J. Markey, Massachusetts Democrat, and Sen. Marco Rubio, Florida Republican, passed the chamber unanimously. If passed in the House and signed by President Biden, the bill will end the twice-a-year ritual of changing clocks that most Americans undertake in spring and fall.
“We’re doing this back and forth of clock changing for about 16 weeks of standard time a year,” Mr. Rubio said. “I think the majority of the American people’s preference is to stop the back-and-forth changing.”
Proponents argued that changing time back and forth can increase crime rates, heart attacks, traffic accidents and seasonal depression.
“We know that Daylight Savings Time helps to turn the corner of people’s mouths upwards into a smile,” Mr. Markey said.
The bill now heads to the House, where supporters hope to quickly secure passage.
House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone Jr., New Jersey Democrat, pointed to hearings his committee held on the issue this month as proof there was momentum.
“It’s clear to me that it is time to stop changing our clocks twice a year,” Mr. Pallone said. “The hearing showed there is widespread agreement on coming up with a permanent solution, and I’m hopeful that we can end the silliness of the current system soon.”
Mr. Markey, who served in the House for nearly 40 years before he was elected to the Senate, said bipartisan support for the measure would make passage easier.
“We share a common agenda,” he said. “We bridge ideological divisions — liberal Democrats from the Northeast, conservative Republicans from Florida coming together to show that this institution can work.”
Advocates also note that the legislation has two major features that will likely ease its path forward: It is popular and does not cost taxpayers anything to implement.
“I know this is not the most important issue confronting America, but it is an issue where there’s a lot of agreement,” Mr. Rubio said.
The White House did not respond to questions about whether Mr. Biden would sign the bill if it lands on his desk.
In the past, Congress has experimented with making Daylight Saving Time permanent, most notably during World War II. At the time, lawmakers argued that the change would allow Americans to save fuel needed for the war effort by extending visibility at night.
The change lapsed after the war but was brought back for a two-year period in the early 1970s to combat soaring energy costs. In that iteration, the change proved unpopular with voters, especially parents worried about sending their children to school before the sun rose.
Across the country, more than 350 bills have been introduced in statehouses since 2015 to leave the clocks alone permanently. This year, 28 states are considering bills related to the time change, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Eighteen states have enacted legislation in the past four years, but they must receive approval from Congress to make the switch. Hawaii and Arizona do not observe Daylight Saving Time.
The bills in most states with legislation favor permanent Daylight Saving Time — which would provide more sunlight in the afternoons — over year-round standard time.
Florida passed a bill in 2018, and Maine, Delaware, Tennessee, Oregon and Washington did the same in 2019.
• Ramsey Touchberry and Peter Santo contributed to this report.
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