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Argentina’s Lower House Backs Winter Switch to GMT-4, Sending Time-Zone Bill to Senate

Senate consideration will test claims of energy and school benefits against scientists’ push for a permanent UTC‑4.

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La Cámara de Diputados le dio media sanción al proyecto que busca cambiar el huso horario de la Argentina
Reloj. Foto: Pexels

Overview

  • The Chamber of Deputies approved the measure 151–66 with 8 abstentions in a late-night vote and forwarded it to the Senate.
  • The bill sets the official time to GMT‑4 during winter and empowers the Executive to revert to GMT‑3 in summer, with reported switch dates on the first Sundays of April and September.
  • Author Julio Cobos frames the change as aligning clocks with solar time to cut electricity use and improve morning alertness and school performance.
  • CONICET researchers, including Diego Golombek, warn that seasonal clock changes carry health risks and argue for adopting UTC‑4 year‑round instead.
  • If enacted, clocks would move back one hour nationwide, affecting work, school and public services, and proponents say it could ease coordination with Mercosur partners.