By Congresswoman Stephanie Bice
This weekend, millions of Americans are dreading turning their clocks back an hour knowing darkness will approach earlier throughout the cold winter months. Seasonal depression kicks in, along with scheduling confusion and mishaps, but what’s most concerning is the increase in car accidents and drop in economic activity.
Daylight Saving Time was created more than 100 years ago to conserve fuel during World War I, and now it is unnecessary and incredibly inconvenient. After listening to my constituents’ concerns over this issue, I am proud to cosponsor Rep. Vern Buchanan’s (R-FL-16) bill, the Sunshine Protection Act of 2021, that would provide more sunlight and lock the clock by making Daylight Saving Time permanent.
If this bipartisan legislation were to become law, our economy would reap the benefits. According to a study by JP Morgan Chase, there is a decrease in economic activity and productivity of 2.2% to 4.9% when clocks move back. Additionally, our country’s agricultural economy would benefit from this because the current biannual changes disrupt the synergy between farmers’ schedules and their supply chain partners.
The Sunshine Protection Act would keep Americans safer. Better aligning daylight hours to drivers’ standard work hours would increase visibility, which would reduce car crashes, and accidents involving pedestrians and wildlife, as stated by the American Journal of Public Health and the Journal of Safety Research. Also, keeping our natural sleep and wake cycle would decrease risk for cardiac issues, stroke, and seasonal depression.
Americans are more active during Daylight Saving Time, the Journal of Environmental Psychology found, with pedestrian activity up 62% and cyclists by 38%. There is also a general increase in fitness in children, based on studies by the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity and the Journal of Physical Activity and Health.
Obviously, our country has progressed immensely since World War I. We are far from needing to conserve fuel for candles, gas lamps, or cater to early 20th century wartime efforts. It is time to reverse this long-overdue limitation on our country to more accurately reflect our current lifestyles and respond to Americans’ desires. During my time in Congress, I have heard from many of my constituents who want this issue addressed, and the Sunshine Protection Act would do just that. Fifteen states have passed similar laws, and as a member of Oklahoma’s legislature, we attempted to do the same. Now serving Oklahoma’s fifth district at the federal level, we can enact this law nationwide and improve the American peoples’ health, productivity, and happiness.
