U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) is optimistic President Joe Biden will sign legislation he recently co-sponsored into law that would make daylight saving time permanent.
The U.S. Senate passed the Sunshine Protection Act in March 2022, but the U.S. House of Representatives did not bring it up for a vote before the 117th Congress ended, requiring it to be reintroduced again. Daylight saving time begins this Sunday, March 12, and lasts until Sunday, November 5.
Tuberville said on a press call on Wednesday that switching from the existing standard time to "making daylight saving time permanent will allow all Alabamians, especially our farmers, to make the most of what the daylight hours give."
"The extra daylight in the evenings can encourage Alabamians to be more active and spend more time outdoors, which can lead to improvements in mental health, physical fitness, and overall well-being," Tuberville said. "It's time for America to move forward and stop falling back."
Tuberville said, "I think we can get it passed through the Senate" and, "I think we've got enough bipartisan support in the House."
"I know that there's even some House Republicans that are for keeping it standard time and not daylight saving time, so there's a little bit of disagreement there," Tuberville said. "I think President Biden would sign it if it was bipartisan in both houses."
State legislators in Alabama passed legislation in 2021 that would make daylight saving time permanent, provided Congress also approves the switch to daylight saving time year-round.
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