Clocks Fell Back. Will Congress Ever End the Time Change?

The clocks changed. The debate did not.

Updated November 2, 2026, 8:22 AM Central

Most Americans have turned their clocks back for another winter. Whether they will ever stop changing them remains a fight in Congress, where a proposal to keep daylight saving time year-round faces resistance in the Senate.

At 2 a.m. local time Sunday, November 1, clocks in places that observe daylight saving time moved back to 1 a.m., returning to standard time, according to the National Institute of Standards and Technology. That means more morning light by the clock and earlier sunsets—not a change in the total amount of daylight.

The House has passed a bill for permanent daylight saving time, but the Associated Press reported October 29 that Senate action before year’s end appeared unlikely. The bill is not law.

When is the next time change?

Under the current federal schedule, most of the country is due to spring forward again on March 14, 2027, at 2 a.m. local time, unless the law changes. Axios also identifies that date.

Hawaii and most of Arizona do not observe the seasonal shift; the Navajo Nation in Arizona does. Several U.S. territories also remain on standard time year-round, according to NIST.

States can choose to remain on standard time, but the U.S. Department of Transportation says states cannot independently adopt permanent daylight saving time under current federal law.

More light after work—or before school?

Supporters of permanent daylight saving time favor an extra hour of light on the clock in the late afternoon and evening. President Donald Trump has pushed the Senate to act, the AP reported.

Opponents point to later winter sunrises. Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas has argued that children should not have to travel to school in darkness; his October 3 post explains his position. Other senators have also raised concerns, according to the AP.

Ending the clock change is not the same as choosing permanent daylight saving time. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine favors permanent standard time, Axios reported, because it better matches natural sleep cycles. Congress would have to resolve both whether to stop changing clocks and which time to keep.

A previous experiment

Congress adopted year-round daylight saving time during the 1970s energy crisis. It ended the experiment early after public support fell and dark winter mornings became a concern, the AP reported. That history is one reason the current argument can sound familiar: the clock hands may move, but the winter sunrise does not.

Key dates

October 3, 2026Cotton posted his opposition to permanent daylight saving time. His post
November 1, 2026, 2 a.m. localDaylight saving time ended in most U.S. locations. NIST
March 14, 2027, 2 a.m. localNext scheduled spring change under current law. Axios