Fact-check: Has the US tried permanent daylight saving time? Here's what happened., tell me about this news today

Yes, the United States has tried year-round permanent daylight saving time before, and it was quickly repealed due to widespread public backlash.

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The 1974 Experiment

In December 1973, President Richard Nixon signed the Emergency Daylight Saving Time Energy Conservation Act. In the midst of the 1973 OPEC oil embargo, the U.S. government implemented a planned two-year trial of permanent Daylight Saving Time (DST) aimed at conserving energy and fuel during evening hours.

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When the experiment took effect on January 6, 1974, it was initially very popular, holding an approval rating near 79%.

Why It Failed So Quickly

Within three months, public support dropped below 45% once people experienced winter under DST:

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• Late Sunrises: Because clocks remained shifted one hour forward, large parts of the country did not see sunrise until after 8:30 a.m. or even 9:00 a.m. in the winter.

• Student Safety Concerns: Children were forced to walk to school and wait for buses in pitch-black conditions. A series of tragic traffic accidents involving schoolchildrennotably in Floridasparked nationwide outrage from parents and educators.

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• Workplace Hazards: Workers in outdoor industries, such as agriculture and construction, faced safety issues and operational delays in the dark mornings.

Recognizing that the experiment had become overwhelmingly unpopular, Congress reversed course. President Gerald Ford signed legislation repealing permanent DST in October 1974, returning the nation to standard time for the winter after just ten months.

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Why This Is in the News

Stories and fact-checks examining the 1974 trial routinely resurface around seasonal clock changes or whenever legislative pushes like the federal Sunshine Protection Act regain attention.

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While most Americans dislike switching clocks twice a year, debates stall because experts and the public disagree on the solution:

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• Permanent Daylight Saving Time offers later evening sunlight, but leads right back to the dark winter mornings that doomed the 1974 law.

• Permanent Standard Time is heavily endorsed by sleep scientists and medical organizations because morning sunlight aligns best with the human circadian rhythm, but it reduces evening light during the summer.