Daylight Saving Time 2026 ends this Sunday, when clocks fall back and the debate in Congress over a permanent time system continues. The Sunshine Protection Act would make daylight saving time permanent, but the choice would change how mornings and evenings feel for people across the country.
Sheryl Ball, a professor of economics at Virginia Tech, said there is not going to be any way to make everyone happy on this issue. She said, "There’s not going to be any way to make everyone happy on this" as lawmakers keep weighing whether to end the twice-a-year time change.
Sunshine Protection Act and Congress
Congress has already taken a step toward ending the twice-yearly switch, but the bill is now in the Senate. The Sunshine Protection Act would keep daylight saving time in place all year, which means brighter evenings and darker winter mornings.
That tradeoff runs in the opposite direction from permanent standard time, which would bring brighter mornings but earlier sunsets. Some people want more sunshine after dinner, while others want to see the sun before heading to work.
Virginia Tech and Sheryl Ball
Ball’s view captures the practical split in the debate. A permanent change would not remove the need to choose between evening light and morning light; it would simply lock one pattern in place for every day of the year.
For readers, the immediate step is simple: set clocks back this Sunday and expect the usual seasonal shift. Whether Congress will actually pass the proposed federal law is the open question that remains after the clock change arrives.
