Sunshine Protection Act of 2025

Floor Speech

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Mr. BUCHANAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of my bill, the Sunshine Protection Act, which would make daylight saving time permanent and finally end the biannual clock switch.

Twice a year, Americans are forced to change their clocks. These changes disrupt their schedule for no good reason. The outdated practice is frustrating for families, workers, schools, and small businesses across the country.

Let me just tell you, as someone who has been in business for 30 years, this is gigantic, especially for the small business person. That additional hour a day, at least in Florida but across the country, makes a big difference in terms of doing business. Ideally, it helps not just small businesses, but small businesses create most of the jobs in Florida, as well. It is key to both.

Polling shows that two-thirds of Americans want to unlock the clock. My bill is simply a solution to make daylight saving time permanent. Allowing an extra hour of sunlight in the evening gives families more time for outside sports, activities, and school. It stimulates small business and, as I said, job creation; retail tourism; and provides more time for youth sports and outside recreation.

Let me just tell you: You see a lot of kids today. The number is 20 percent of children who are obese. They need to be out more. This will make a difference for them.

There are also significant health benefits associated with DST that would prevent over 200,000 cases of stroke per year. It would make a big difference, as well, for nearly 2 million people in terms of obesity.

Importantly, this bill allows States to opt out in favor of standard time if that is important to them. Nineteen States have passed the deadline for this.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

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