Senators once again introduce a bill to make daylight saving time permanent

Senators once again introduce a bill to make daylight saving time permanent

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In the United States, most states observe daylight saving time – which begins on the second Sunday in March at 2 am and ends on the first Sunday in November at 2 am – for eight months of the year and four months at standard time.

But the Sun Protection Act, proposed by Republican Senator Marco Rubio, calls for it not to “step back” in November and instead to enjoy summer time all year round. This would not change the country’s current time zones or the number of hours of sunlight.

The bill was already approved in the home state of Rubio, Florida, in 2018 – but to take effect, a change at the federal level is necessary. Fifteen other states – including California, which voted to make daylight saving time permanent in 2018, and Washington, which did the same in 2019 – passed similar legislation.
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“The call to end the old-fashioned practice of changing the clock is gaining momentum across the country,” Rubio said in a statement on Tuesday.

Not everyone follows the tradition in the United States – Hawaii and Arizona do not. The top five US territories – American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Island, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands – also do not observe daylight saving time.

In a recent statement, Rubio cited several benefits for extending daylight saving time, including reducing the number of car accidents Americans experience and helping to reduce the risk of seasonal depression.

He said that such legislation would help to give families “more stability throughout the year”.

Democratic Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts echoed Rubio in highlighting the benefits of extending daylight saving time.

“Studies have found that year-round daylight saving time would improve public health, public safety and mental health – especially important during this cold and dark COVID winter,” Markey said in a statement, adding that he is “proud to sponsor the event. Protective act to add an extra hour of sunshine during the 365 days of the year. “

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