U.S. Senator Tom Cotton

Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), joined by Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), blocked a renewed bipartisan push in the Senate Tuesday to make daylight saving time permanent, halting an effort that aimed to end the twice-yearly clock changes.

Politico reported that Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) had sought unanimous consent to advance his “Sunshine Protection Act,” which would allow states to stay on daylight saving time year-round.

But Cotton, a supporter of President Donald Trump, objected and effectively stopping the bill from moving forward.

“If permanent Daylight Savings Time becomes the law of the land, it will again make winter a dark and dismal time for millions of Americans,” Cotton said in his objection, per the report.

“For many Arkansans, permanent daylight savings time would mean the sun wouldn’t rise until after 8:00 or even 8:30am during the dead of winter. The darkness of permanent savings time would be especially harmful for school children and working Americans.”

The lawmakers against the move argued that the measure would give states the flexibility to decide what works best for them.

“It allows the people of each state to choose what best fits their needs and the needs of their families,” Scott said. “The American people are sick and tired of changing their clocks twice a year. It’s confusing, unnecessary and completely outdated.”

The latest standoff revives a debate that briefly gained momentum in 2022, when the Senate unexpectedly passed a similar version of the bill.

Cotton later said he took “full responsibility” for not blocking that earlier measure, vowing this time to ensure it did not advance.