The Facts
The US Senate moved to make Daylight Saving Time (DST) permanent in America on Tues.
In a rare act of bi-partisanship, the Sunshine Protection Act – first introduced in Jan 2021 and then again last March – passed unanimously. It will now need to pass in the House and be signed off by Pres. Biden before coming into effect in Nov. 2023.
The Spin
Narrative A
Clock-changing is an antiquated ritual that disrupts business and reduces the amount of sunlight people get in the afternoon, impacting factors such as depression and how much time children spend playing outside. An increase in heart attacks and car accidents has also been recorded in the week following clock changes.
Narrative B
While making DST permanent adds an hour of sunlight in the afternoon, it means it will be much darker when people are waking up in the winter months and making their way to work or school. Making this change was already attempted back in 1973 and was quickly repealed once people realized the consequences.
