West Florida News

U.S. Representative Greg Steube has initiated a discharge petition for the Sunshine Protection Act, aiming to make daylight saving time (DST) permanent across the United States. The bipartisan legislation, originally introduced by Rep. Vern Buchanan and led in the Senate by Senator Marco Rubio, seeks to end the practice of changing clocks twice a year.

"Americans should never again face the outdated ritual of turning back the clocks to standard time," said Steube. He emphasized his commitment to this cause, noting his previous efforts in Florida's legislature and expressing hope that Congress will support this change. "It’s time to make permanent Daylight Saving Time a reality," he added.

The Sunshine Protection Act has received bipartisan backing but has not yet been voted on, leading Rep. Steube to file a discharge petition. This parliamentary tool allows 218 Members of Congress to force a vote on legislation despite any delays from leadership or committees.

Research highlights several benefits of permanent DST, including increased public safety with fewer car crashes and pedestrian injuries, improved health outcomes like reduced cardiac issues and seasonal depression, economic advantages such as less decline in activity when clocks fall back, decreased crime rates with more daylight during evening hours, healthier lifestyles due to extended daylight encouraging physical activity, support for farmers by minimizing disruptions, and energy savings reported by the U.S. Department of Energy.

"This is an opportunity for Congress to deliver on an overwhelmingly popular and bipartisan issue," Rep. Steube stated. "Locking the clock is not just common sense—it’s a win for public health, safety, and our economy."

Rep. Steube's filing of this discharge petition calls on his colleagues to help modernize practices by bringing the Sunshine Protection Act forward for a vote in the House. With sufficient signatures, the bill could progress towards establishing permanent DST nationwide.