The House of Representatives approved legislation Tuesday that would make daylight saving time permanent.

The legislation, which passed 308-117, has the backing of the White House.

Daylight saving time is the period between spring and fall when clocks in most parts of the United States are set one hour ahead of standard time. The bill must also pass the Senate before President Donald Trump can sign it into law.

Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., supported the legislation, arguing that changing clocks twice a year causes unnecessary disruption.

"In my home state of Florida where tourism is a cornerstone of our economy, having more predictable daylight hours is a practical improvement that benefits workers, businesses, and visitors alike," Bilirakis said.

Detractors such as Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, D-Pa., argued that permanent daylight saving time would create darker and potentially more hazardous winter mornings, with children waiting for school buses and parents driving to work before sunrise.

"Millions of Americans will wake up during the winter months in complete darkness with the sun not rising until long after people get up and travel to school or work or have to go about their days," Scanlon said.

The White House, however, says the Sunshine Protection Act is a popular, commonsense reform.

Although a 2025 AP-NORC poll found that only 12% of Americans support changing clocks twice a year, debate has long centered on whether to adopt permanent standard time or permanent daylight saving time.

The Senate previously passed a bill to make daylight saving time permanent, but it went nowhere in the House.

The United States used year-round daylight saving time during World War II and enacted ​it again in 1974 to reduce energy use. But it proved deeply unpopular, and Congress repealed it later that year.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.