The U.S. House of Representatives voted decisively on Tuesday to make daylight saving time permanent, passing the “Sunshine Protection Act” by a 308-110 margin. The legislation aims to eliminate the biannual clock changes that currently shorten daylight hours during the winter months, but its future in the Senate remains uncertain.

The bill, which would require the nation to observe daylight saving time year-round, has been strongly supported by a coalition of Florida Republicans, including Representative Vern Buchanan and Representative Anna Paulina Luna, both from the Tampa Bay area. The House leadership allowed the vote partly as a concession to Ms. Luna to encourage her to lift a legislative hold she had placed in an effort to prompt Senate action on a separate voting restriction bill favored by former President Donald Trump.

Mr. Trump has been a vocal advocate for ending the clock changes, calling the twice-yearly adjustments “ridiculous” and praising permanent daylight saving time as a way to enjoy longer, brighter evenings. “We are going with the far more popular alternative, Saving Daylight, which gives you a longer, brighter Day,” he wrote on social media earlier this year.

The United States first established federal time zone oversight with the Standard Time Act of 1918 and later adopted standardized daylight saving time rules through the Uniform Time Act of 1966. Under current law, most states observe daylight saving time from spring through fall, with some exceptions such as Arizona and Hawaii. The most recent modification came in 2005, when the daylight saving period was extended by several weeks.

Supporters argue the biannual clock changes are outdated and disruptive to modern life and commerce. Representative Gus Bilirakis of Florida described the practice as a “relic of the past” that no longer fits contemporary lifestyles.

However, the proposal faces skepticism and opposition in the Senate. Senator John Barrasso of Wyoming, the chamber’s second-ranking Republican, indicated uncertainty about the bill’s prospects and whether it would be beneficial in all regions, citing regional differences in how the change might affect states. “It’s not as simple as what one state might like,” he said.

Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas has voiced concerns that permanent daylight saving time would delay winter sunrises to inconvenient and potentially unsafe hours. Last year, he expressed regret for not opposing a similar bill introduced by then-Senator Marco Rubio, which passed the Senate unanimously in 2022 but stalled in the House. Cotton warned that later winter mornings could deprive Americans of essential morning sunlight, impacting safety and well-being.

The debate reflects long-standing arguments over the practice: the U.S. briefly tried permanent daylight saving time in 1974 but reverted to the current system after public dissatisfaction. Whether the new House-approved measure can clear the Senate and be signed into law remains to be seen.