President Donald Trump on Saturday pressured Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas to support a bill to make daylight saving time permanent, sharing Cotton's personal cellphone number in a post on Truth Social.
The Sunshine Protection Act passed the House in July in a 308 to 117 vote, garnering bipartisan support. Proponents, including the White House, argue that the change would provide more daylight during the times that Americans are most active.
“No one likes changing the clock, me included, but Congress has enacted permanent Daylight Savings Time multiple times before and repealed it each time once Americans experienced absurdly late sunrises in the winter,” — Cotton, per CBS News
Detractors, however, say permanent daylight saving time would lead to darker and potentially more hazardous winter mornings when children will be waiting for school buses and parents will be driving to work in darkness.
Not all states observe daylight saving time, and under the bill, states can opt out of the change if their respective legislatures act to do so before the bill's enactment.
Mr. Trump has changed his position on the issue throughout the years, having called both for daylight saving time to be eliminated and for it to be made permanent.
The Senate passed a bill four years ago to make daylight saving time permanent, but it stalled in the House.
President Trump appeared to share the personal cell phone number of Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., on Truth Social amid his push to pass a bill which would end daylight's savings time.
Cotton, a member of Republican leadership, reiterated his opposition to permanent daylight saving time in a social media post of his own Saturday afternoon.
The Senate is out of session until Nov. 3 and unable to vote on the bill until after the midterm elections.
This is not the first time the president has released personal information about a senator, having done so in the past with Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina.
Mr. Trump then released Graham's personal cellphone number.
Hours after Trump called out Cotton for rejecting a bipartisan unanimous consent made by Sens. Rick Scott, R-Fla., Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I. and Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala. to move the Senate bill last Fall, the Arkansas senator doubled down on his support for daylight savings time.
Cotton posted on X, 'No one likes changing the clock, me included, but Congress has enacted permanent Daylight Savings Time multiple times before and repealed it each time once Americans experienced absurdly late sunrises in the winter.'
Arkansans don’t want their kids going to school in the pitch dark, and I’ll always put Arkansas first.'
While Trump's push for permanent daylight saving time has garnered significant attention, it's essential to understand the context behind the proposal. The Sunshine Protection Act, which passed the House in July, aims to make daylight saving time permanent, but it has been met with opposition from some lawmakers, including Sen. Cotton.
The bill's proponents argue that the change would provide more daylight during the times that Americans are most active, which could lead to increased productivity and overall well-being. However, detractors argue that permanent daylight saving time would lead to darker and potentially more hazardous winter mornings, which could have serious consequences for public safety.
In the past, Trump has changed his position on the issue, having called both for daylight saving time to be eliminated and for it to be made permanent. This shift in stance has raised questions about the president's commitment to the proposal and his willingness to work with lawmakers to pass the bill.
The Senate's next move on the bill will be crucial in determining its fate. With the Senate out of session until Nov. 3, it's unclear when the bill will be brought up for a vote. However, the controversy surrounding the proposal has sparked a renewed debate about the benefits and drawbacks of permanent daylight saving time.
As the debate continues, it's essential to consider the potential consequences of making daylight saving time permanent. While some argue that the change would provide more daylight during the times that Americans are most active, others argue that it would lead to darker and potentially more hazardous winter mornings.
In the end, the decision to make daylight saving time permanent will depend on the will of Congress and the American people. As the debate continues, it's crucial to consider the potential consequences of the proposal and to work towards a solution that benefits the country as a whole.
By the numbers
- The Sunshine Protection Act passed the House in July in a 308 to 117 vote
- So, everyone in Arkansas, a State I love, and won 3 times, the last by by 34 points, tell Tom to, GET IT DONE!
- The House passed its version of the bill in July by 308–117, garnering bipartisan support
Samira Mercer’s View
As a government correspondent, I've seen my fair share of partisan gridlock, but Trump's DST push takes the cake. What's striking is how this issue has exposed the deep divisions within Congress, with some lawmakers willing to put aside their differences to support the bill. But what's often lost in the debate is the fact that not all states observe daylight saving time, and under this bill, they can opt out if their legislatures act to do so. It's a clever move by the White House to give states a degree of autonomy, but it also raises questions about the federal government's role in regulating time zones.
Opinion — Samira Mercer. Reporting above is separate from this view.
Room for disagreement
CBS News frames the story as a straightforward reporting of Trump's action, without emphasizing the controversy or potential implications of releasing a senator's phone number. Read CBS News’s take →
Background
Daylight saving time (DST) is a period between spring and fall when clocks in most parts of the United States are set one hour ahead of standard time. Not all states observe DST, and under the proposed bill, states can opt out of the change if their respective legislatures act to do so before the bill's enactment. The bill, known as the Sunshine Protection Act, aims to make DST permanent, with proponents arguing that it would provide more daylight during the times that Americans are most active. Detractors, however, have expressed concerns that permanent DST would lead to darker and potentially more hazardous winter mornings. The bill has been a contentious issue, with the president's position on it changing over the years.
- Daylight saving time has been observed in the United States since World War I. (CBS News)
- The Uniform Time Act of 1966 standardizes the start and end dates of DST across the country. (CBS News)
- The president has released personal information about senators before, including Sen. Lindsey Graham's cellphone number in 2016. (CBS News)
Timeline
- President Donald Trump on Saturday pressured Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas to support a bill to make daylight saving time permanent
- While competing for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination, the late Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina described Mr. Trump as 'unfit for office' after Mr. Trump denigrated the military service of Sen. John McCain of Arizona
- Cotton, a member of Republican leadership, reiterated his opposition to permanent daylight saving time in a social media post of his own Saturday afternoon
- The Truth Social post from Trump comes as the Senate is out of session until Nov. 3 and unable to vote on the bill until after the midterm elections
- In 2015, while campaigning for president, Trump shared the number of then-Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., at a rally in South Carolina
What's next
The Senate's next move on the bill will be crucial in determining its fate.
Questions readers ask
What is the main argument in favor of making daylight saving time permanent?
Proponents argue that the change would provide more daylight during the times that Americans are most active.
Can states opt out of the proposed permanent daylight saving time change?
Yes, states can opt out of the change if their respective legislatures act to do so before the bill's enactment.
Has President Trump changed his position on daylight saving time in the past?
Yes, the president has called for both the elimination and the permanent adoption of daylight saving time throughout the years.
