The bill is co-led by Senators Scott and Murray; Murray has been a longtime and tireless advocate of permanent daylight saving time
***VIDEO HERE of Senator Murray speaking on Senate floor following passage of the Sunshine Protection Act in 2022***
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Rick Scott (R-FL) introduced the bipartisan Sunshine Protection Act, to officially “lock the clock”, end the twice-yearly time change and make Daylight Saving Time the national year-round standard. Murray and Scott were joined by Senators Tommy Tuberville, Rand Paul, Ron Wyden, Bill Hagerty, Cynthia Lummis, Ed Markey, Sheldon Whitehouse, James Lankford, Martin Heinrich, Alex Padilla, Brian Schatz, Tina Smith and Katie Britt.
“Every year, more Americans grow more frustrated setting their clocks back and forth, and every winter folks in Washington state despair at the prospect of losing an hour of precious sunlight when we are forced off Daylight Saving Time,” said Senator Murray. “That growing frustration has also meant growing momentum, across the country and across the political spectrum, for the Sunshine Protection Act—which is why I am excited to reintroduce this bill today with strong bipartisan support and determined to work with anyone I can to finally get permanent Daylight Saving Time passed into federal law. This is about public health, it is about our economy, and it’s about just putting a little more light in families’ lives so they can spend time together, outdoors, in the sunshine.”
“I hear from Americans constantly that they are sick and tired of changing their clocks twice a year – it’s an unnecessary, decades-old practice that’s more of an annoyance to families than benefit to them.” said Senator Rick Scott. “In 2018, as Governor of Florida, I signed legislation that would allow the state to opt out of the practice of changing the time and I’ve been a leading effort in getting this done on the federal level. I’m excited to have President Trump back in the White House and fully on board to LOCK THE CLOCK so we can get this good bill passed and make this common-sense change that will simplify and benefit the lives of American families.”
In March of 2022, Senator Murray helped ensure passage of the Sunshine Protection Act by unanimous consent alongside Senator Rubio. Senator Murray has been a strong proponent of making DST permanent, expressing her support after Governor Inslee signed legislation into law to make DST permanent in Washington state. In 2021, Senator Murray co-authored an op-ed with Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio on the need to pass the Sunshine Protection Act Americans can enjoy having sunlight during their most productive hours of the day and never have to worry about changing their clocks again.
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