Senate passes bill to make daylight saving time permanent

A bill to make daylight saving time permanent heads to the U.S. House after unanimously passing the U.S. Senate on Tuesday.

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), introduced the Sunshine Protection Act with 17 bipartisan cosponsors.

"So we're doing this back and forth of clock changing for about 16 weeks of standard time a year," Rubio said after his bill passed.

"I think the majority of the American people's preference is just to stop the back and forth changing... but beyond that, I think their preference is, certainly based on today's vote and what we heard certainly is to make daylight saving time permanent," he said.

Rubio went on to talk about the "harm that clock switching has" such as increased car accidents and said staying on daylight saving time helps mental health and allows children to go outside later in the day. 

He added that he hopes the House will act quickly on the bill, which will take effect in November 2023 to allow airlines and other companies to make the necessary schedule changes.

"We don't have to keep doing this stupidity anymore," Rubio said. "Pardon the pun, but this is an idea whose time has come."