US Senate moves to make daylight savings time permanent

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - The Senate unanimously approved Tuesday an act to make daylight savings time permanent across the US.

Several legislative efforts to permanently extend America's daylight hours have faltered in the past, making the Senate's approval of the Sunshine Protection Act by unanimous consent a major milestone in the effort.

It comes just two days after Americans across much of the country turned their clocks forward early Sunday, effectively losing an hour of sleep but gaining daylight hours many craved during the winter.

The act must still be taken up and passed in the House of Representatives before it can be sent to US President Joe Biden to be signed into law.

Bill sponsor Sen. Marco Rubio said he hopes the House will "act quickly" on the legislation, adding that while it is not one of the most important issues facing America "it is one of those issues where there's a lot of agreement.

"I think a lot of people wonder why it took so long to get here," he said on the Senate floor.

Should it be passed, the act would not be implemented until November 2023 to accommodate transit and broadcast schedules that have already been made based on existing daylight savings schedules.