Rep. Scott DesJarlais, R-Tenn., said Friday he supports making daylight saving time permanent across the United States, arguing that most Americans favor having more daylight in the evening and that Congress should act on issues where broad public agreement exists.
Appearing on Newsmax TV's "America Right Now," DesJarlais said the debate over daylight saving time has persisted for decades but believes the issue has enough public support to warrant congressional action.
The House passed a bill Tuesday that would make daylight saving time permanent. Proponents, including the White House, argued the change would provide more daylight during the times that Americans are most active. The vote was 308-117.
"It's been an argument that's been going on really for 50 years since they tried it and changed it back," DesJarlais said.
The Tennessee Republican pointed to congressional action on the issue several years ago, noting that legislation to make daylight saving time permanent passed the Senate by unanimous consent but was never taken up by the House.
"You can see by the vote it was about a 3-1 vote a couple of years ago," he said. "It passed by unanimous consent in the Senate, and for some reason it didn't get taken up in the House."
DesJarlais acknowledged that some Americans oppose ending the twice-yearly clock changes, particularly because permanent daylight saving time would mean darker mornings during parts of the year.
However, he said the tradeoff is outweighed by the benefit of having more daylight in the afternoon.
"Most people would like that extra hour of daylight in the afternoon," he said.
He noted that modern family routines have changed over the years, with many parents now accompanying children to school bus stops, making concerns about darker mornings less significant than they once were.
"You're going to either be dark a little bit in the morning, you're going to be dark a little bit at night, depending on which way you go," DesJarlais said. "But the vast majority of people believe that they would prefer that extra hour in the winter."
DesJarlais said preferences can vary depending on where people live, citing differences in latitude and time zones, but maintained that earlier sunsets during the winter months have a negative effect on many Americans.
"There's only so many hours of daylight in the day, and I think most people find it depressing," he said.
Recalling his childhood in South Dakota, DesJarlais said he enjoyed the annual return to standard time because it allowed him to go deer hunting before school. Still, he said the novelty quickly wore off.
"After November, it was pretty depressing that it was dark so early in the afternoon," he said.
DesJarlais said Congress should move forward on issues that enjoy broad public support, arguing that permanent daylight saving time is one of several policies on which Americans largely agree. He added that lawmakers should focus on advancing those measures rather than allowing them to stall.
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