Daylight Saving Time Ends November 1 as Congress Stalls Permanent Shift
Americans will turn their clocks back one hour on Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026, at 2 a.m. local time, officially ending daylight saving time for the year. The change means an extra hour of sleep for many, but it also marks another year of the biannual clock-switching ritual that Congress has repeatedly failed to end.
The Sunshine Protection Act of 2025, which would make daylight saving time permanent nationwide, passed the House of Representatives in July by a bipartisan vote of 308 to 117. However, the bill has stalled in the Senate, where lawmakers remain divided over which time standard to adopt permanently.
President Donald Trump has been a vocal advocate for permanent daylight saving time, arguing that later sunsets would benefit the economy and give families more evening daylight. "It's a lot of work for a lot of people, running around for two days, changing all the clocks in the house," Trump told reporters over the weekend. "It discombobulates everybody."
Despite the House's approval, the Senate has no clear path forward. Senator Tom Cotton, R-Ark., has been a leading opponent, warning that permanent daylight saving time would force children in some states to travel to school in darkness during winter months. "Arkansans don't want their kids going to school in the pitch dark, and I'll always put Arkansas first," Cotton said.
Which States Observe Daylight Saving Time?
Not all Americans participate in the time change. Arizona and Hawaii observe standard time year-round, as do the U.S. territories of American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. The Navajo Nation in Arizona is an exception, observing daylight saving time like neighboring lands in New Mexico, Utah, and Colorado.
For those who do observe it, the end of daylight saving time means clocks will fall back one hour, providing more morning light but earlier sunsets. The change is governed by Title 15, Chapter 6, Subchapter IX of the U.S. Code, which Congress enacted decades ago.
The Long History of Clock Confusion
The debate over daylight saving time is not new. The Standard Time Act of 1918 established U.S. time zones, and daylight saving time was standardized in 1966. That law allowed states to exempt themselves, which Hawaii and Arizona did.
In 1973, amid an oil crisis, President Richard Nixon signed the Emergency Daylight Saving Time Energy Conservation Act, instituting a two-year trial of permanent daylight saving time. The experiment began on Jan. 6, 1974, during the darkest part of winter. Soon, reports of early-morning traffic accidents and safety concerns emerged. In Florida, eight children died in less than a month, compared to two in the same period the previous year. Six of those deaths were attributed to lack of sunlight as children went to school. The trial was quickly repealed.
Sen. Cotton has pointed to this history as evidence that permanent daylight saving time has been tried and rejected. However, supporters of the current bill argue that modern circumstances and attitudes have changed.
Stalled Legislation and Political Tensions
The Sunshine Protection Act would make daylight saving time the national standard while allowing states and territories that already observe permanent standard time to maintain it. Nineteen states have passed bills to end biannual clock changes, but they cannot implement those changes without congressional approval.
The bill's stall in the Senate has created a public clash between Trump and Cotton. Over the weekend, Trump posted what appeared to be Cotton's personal cellphone number online, urging constituents to pressure the senator. Cotton has blocked similar legislation in previous years.
"People are sick and tired of having to change their clocks twice a year," Trump posted on Truth Social. "Even most farmers would rather have additional time in the evening to harvest their crops."
Cotton and other lawmakers from states that would see late sunrises—pushing 9 a.m. in winter—remain opposed. They argue that darker mornings pose safety risks for children and workers.
What Happens Next?
Unless federal law changes, Americans will continue to fall back on the first Sunday in November and spring forward on the second Sunday in March. This year's fall back is scheduled for Nov. 1 at 2 a.m. local time, becoming 1 a.m. standard time.
The debate over permanent daylight saving time is likely to continue, with supporters and opponents both citing safety, economic, and lifestyle concerns. For now, most Americans will gain an extra hour of sleep—and prepare to change their clocks again in March.
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