WASHINGTON, D.C. (WDNews) — U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) once again took to the Senate floor this week to advocate for his Sunshine Protection Act, a bill that would make Daylight Saving Time permanent across the United States.
Tuberville, joined by Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) and several colleagues, forced a vote on the measure. Despite their efforts, the bill failed to pass the Senate.
In his remarks, Tuberville criticized what he called an “outdated practice” of changing clocks twice each year — a system he said “doesn’t make sense anymore.”
“For nearly 60 years, Americans have changed their clocks back and forth twice a year,” Tuberville said. “Changing our clocks twice a year might have made sense in the 60s, but it doesn’t make sense today.”
The Alabama senator cited research linking time changes to health risks such as sleep disruption, cardiovascular issues, and an increase in traffic accidents.
“Studies have shown that the fall back and spring forward are connected to a 6% spike in fatal car accidents and a 24% higher risk of heart attacks,” Tuberville said. “Switching our clocks disrupts sleep patterns and has been proven time and time again to be harmful to health.”
He also praised national efforts to improve wellness, noting that frequent time changes run counter to those goals.
“Switching the clock back and forth is the exact opposite of the Make America Healthy Again movement,” he said. “It’s bad for sleep, bad for nutrition, and bad for overall health.”
The Sunshine Protection Act, originally introduced in 2018, would make Daylight Saving Time the permanent standard, eliminating the need to “spring forward” or “fall back.”
Senator Tuberville represents Alabama in the U.S. Senate and serves on the Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP), and Aging Committees.
Full speech available on YouTube and Rumble.
