Is Daylight Savings Happening This Year?

This Sunday will not be the last time our clocks spring forward an hour.

Despite the United States Senate approving legislation that would make daylight savings time permanent—meaning clocks would always exist in the “hour forward” position—back in March 2022, it has yet to be voted on by the House of Representatives. Until that legislation is approved by the House and then signed by the President, biannual clock changes will persist.

While the bill, known as the Sunshine Protection Act, lost momentum since passing the senate a year ago, last week Marco Rubio reintroduced the legislation to Congress; a move that could reignite legislators’ desire to make daylight savings time permanent in the United States.

Since first being introduced through the Standard Time Act of 1918, national daylight savings policy has twice been adjusted. During World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt implemented a nationwide, year-round daylight savings in hopes of conserving fuel and promoting national security. The law—commonly known as “war time”—was repealed in 1945.

In January 1974, Richard Nixon reintroduced nationwide daylight savings. During an energy crisis, Nixon hoped daylight savings would maximize evening sun, reducing the country’s demand on a shortened supply of natural gas. After ten months, the policy was repealed. During this time, the chief complaint among the American public was the existence of longer, darker winter mornings.

Currently, neither Hawaii nor Arizona practice daylight savings. So, unless you reside in either of those states, remember that this Sunday at 2 a.m. you will once again be springing your clock forward one hour.