Overview
- The U.S. House approved the Sunshine Protection Act in mid‑July by a 308–117 vote and the bill now sits in the Senate with support from President Donald Trump.
- Orthodox Jewish groups and rabbis are urging Senators to oppose the measure because later winter sunrises would push required morning prayers and communal worship to times that clash with work and school schedules.
- Analyses compiled for faith leaders show many inland and northern cities would see winter sunrises after 8 a.m. and in some places after 9 a.m., creating long stretches of dark mornings for regions such as the Midwest and Mountain West.
- Parents, sleep experts and pediatric advocates warn darker winter mornings could raise safety risks for children commuting to school and worsen circadian‑rhythm problems linked to health and learning.
- Implementation would vary locally because some states and territories already opt out of Daylight Saving Time and nearly 20 states have laws to adopt permanent DST if Congress allows it, and lawmakers note a 1970s federal trial of year‑round DST was repealed after public backlash.