Daylight saving time is set to hit this Sunday at 2 a.m., when nearly everyone in the country will set their clocks back an hour.
The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Sunshine Protection Act in July in a bipartisan vote of 308 to 117 to keep daylight saving time permanent. It had the enthusiastic backing of the president.
But the bill stalled in the U.S. Senate and has no chance of passage before clocks turn back this year.
Supporters of the Sunshine Act believe that permanent daylight saving time will create more consistent schedules for families, schools and businesses. It would eliminate the need to reset clocks and upset sleeping patterns. It would also give families more evening daylight after work and school.
Opponents, including a number of senators from northern and western states, argue that it would make winter mornings too dark for children and early-morning workers.
The Missouri House of Representatives passed a "trigger" bill in April that would permanently adopt daylight saving time, and similar bills have been introduced in the state Senate. The bill could not become law without congressional authorization.
Currently, federal law only permits states to opt for permanent standard time, not daylight saving time.
