Don’t Forget Louisiana: Set Those Clocks Forward This Weekend

Two times a year, Americans have to change their clocks according to an antiquated policy implemented over 100 years ago. In the fall we set our clocks back one hour, and this is the time of year that we "spring forward."

The History of Daylight Saving Time

Depending on who you talk to, there are varying stories about why Daylight Saving Time was started.  But according to USAFacts.org, In 1918, in an effort to conserve fuel and power, and extend the workday, The Standard Time Act of 1918 established the practice of changing the clocks two times a year.  The thinking was that working during the sunlight hours, and working later into the day, meant burning less fuel.  

The practice has undergone a several changes over the years.  Congress has already gone back and forth on DST.  They repealed it after WWI ended, only to enact it again during WWII in 1942, before repealing it again in 1945. Seems they don't even think it's a good idea.

In 1966 Congress passed The Uniform Time Act, that once again, re-established this twice a year time change.  Then in 2005, the Energy Policy Act extended daylight saving from the second Sunday in March, and ending the first Sunday in November.

Could the Practice of Daylight Saving Time Finally be Coming to an End?

But there might be hope for those who are fed up with this antiquated practice.  In 2022, Senator Marco Rubio of Florida introduced the Sunshine Protection Act, which would call for the ending of the practice of changing the clocks twice a year, and setting the Daylight Saving Time as the standard time for the country.

The Senate passed the bill in 2022, but it has yet to be approved by the House.  But with the last election, President Trump has stated that he supports ending the madness.

Elon Musk posted a poll on X asking which which Time Standard people preferred. Over 1.3 million people responded, with Daylight Saving Time chosen widely over Standard Time.