Tuberville: Make daylight saving time permanent

WASHINGTON – As Americans prepare to “spring forward” this weekend, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) spoke on the floor about the many benefits of making Daylight Saving Time (DST) permanent at the federal level. Sen. Tuberville has helped introduce the Sunshine Protection Act in the 117th, 118th, and 119th congresses.

Nineteen states—including Alabama—have passed legislation to make DST permanent, but it must first be made permanent at the federal level.

Read Sen. Tuberville’s remarks below or on YouTube or Rumble.

“Well, it’s that time again. I think I’ve given this speech three or four times in the last few years.

This weekend, all of America and my constituents back in Alabama will spring forward to Daylight Saving Time. And I’m working very hard to make this hopefully, possibly the last time that we move our clocks. I recently joined my colleague, Senator Rick Scott, to reintroduce, for the third time, the Sunshine Protection Act to make Daylight Saving Time permanent, at the federal level.

Out of all the legislative efforts that I’ve been part of in my four years here in Congress, the thing I hear about the most from my people in Alabama is their desire to lock the clock. Daylight Saving Time should be a thing of the past—because it literally is a thing of the past. 

First, introduced as a temporary measure during World War I, Daylight Saving Time was originally called, ‘Wartime.’ And it was a way to help conserve fuel during a very different time in this country. Following the end of World War I, in 1918, [the] Standard Time Act was enacted that discontinued Daylight Saving Time nationally, but individual states continued to spring forward and fall back.

Then during World War II, there was a renewed federal push for full-time Daylight Saving Time, which then was repealed in 1945. Finally, in 1966, Congress passed legislation to establish national standards for Daylight Saving Time.

All of this to say, changes to our clock might have made sense when it first began many, many years ago. For one, the American workforce culture and lifestyles are vastly different than they were a hundred years ago. Plus, disruptive time change can have serious consequences on human health. Studies have suggested that the disruption of sleep patterns due to the time changes increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases and physical injuries. Northwestern Medicine found that the fallback and the spring forward are connected to a 6% spike in fatal car accidents and a 24% higher risk of heart attacks. […] Additionally, the long-term health effects linked to Daylight Saving Time include weight gain, cluster headaches, and depression. The time switch in the fall increases Seasonal Affective Disorder every single year. And a study published in 2017 found that the transition from Daylight Saving Time to Standard Time increase the number of hospital visits for depression by 11%. 

By making Daylight Saving Time permanent, Americans would enjoy more sunshine in the evenings. This is so important for many Americans who may not get a chance to get outside during the day. It would allow hard working Americans to go on a run after work or enable dads to play with their kids outdoors, neighbors grill and do things together outside. What a thought? Many studies have proven that extra sunlight in the evening can lead to improvements in mental health, physical fitness, economic growth, and well-being. 

As a founding member of the Senate MAHA Caucus, I am very passionate about helping make Americans healthy again. An important part of this is making sure people get enough sleep and more sunlight. Did you know that Vitamin D from the sun is linked to preventing many diseases including cancer? It’s true, and many Americans don’t get nearly enough of Vitamin D, especially those who work at desk jobs and are inside for most of the day, and that has increased since the invention of what we call the computer. Locking the clock is an important first step to helping Americans live healthier lives. It’s a simple way we could positively impact the day-to-day life of all Americans. Our farmers are also greatly affected by Daylight Saving Time as additional sunshine during working hours means more time to work in the fields, which could translate into a more profitable bottom line for anybody that raises a crop. All you know, I’m all about helping our great farmers.

More daylight in the evening could also decrease expensive energy consumption on farms by reducing the need for artificial lighting and heating. Back in the 1970s, we had an energy crisis. And we kept Daylight Saving Time because it saved millions and millions of gallons of fuel. Experts believe that the time change twice a year costs the U.S. economy more than 434 million dollars in lost productivity annually.

It’s clear the evidence points to one conclusion, make Daylight Saving Time permanent. Nineteen states, including my state of Alabama, have already voted on past legislation to make Daylight Saving Time permanent. They just need Congress, which means us, to vote for it. If we vote for it, it changes, and we’d never have to move the clock again.

President Trump has also expressed support for locking the clock. Congress should listen to the people and pass the Sunshine Protection Act to make Daylight Saving Time permanent. The change would improve our health, strengthen our economy and benefit our farmers. This is a no brainer.

It’s time for America to move forward and stop falling back. I’m looking forward to working with my Senate colleagues to get it completely across the finish line, to lock the clock once and for all.”