The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation is scheduled to hold a hearing — titled “If I Could Turn Back Time: Should We Lock The Clock?” — on Thursday to “examine the various issues around whether the country should continue ‘springing forward’ and ‘falling back’ each year with time.”
“The antiquated tradition of changing our clocks has a very real impact on Americans’ businesses, health, and happiness, particularly for parents of young children,” committee chairman Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said in a statement. “People on both sides of the aisle have supported previous legislative efforts to ‘lock the clock,’ and understanding the implications of the time change is a priority for me as Chairman. I’m looking forward to a thoughtful discussion on the benefits and challenges to sticking with one national method for keeping time.”
Americans broadly supported the practice at first, until dark winter mornings prompted safety concerns, especially among parents. The nation returned to twice-a-year clock changes in 1974 and has largely stayed on the same schedule.
