President Trump posted on Truth Social on Saturday, October 3, what he said was the cell phone number of Sen. Tom Cotton, a Republican from Arkansas who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee, and told Arkansas voters to call him over the bill that would make daylight saving time permanent.
Trump says Cotton alone is stopping the bill. Cotton is using a Senate “hold,” a rule that lets one senator block a bill from moving forward by himself. His reason, in his words: “Congress has enacted permanent Daylight Savings Time multiple times before and repealed it each time once Americans experienced absurdly late sunrises in the winter.” He added that Arkansans “don’t want their kids going to school in the pitch dark.”
Story Highlights
- Trump posted what he said was Cotton’s cell phone number on Saturday, October 3, and told Arkansans to call.
- Trump wrote: “For some reason, Tom is stopping the Bill and, in the Senate, it’s very easy to do, it only takes one!”
- The Sunshine Protection Act passed the House 308-117 in July, then stalled in the Senate.
- Cotton answered the post and did not back down.
- The next clock change is Sunday, November 1, and the Senate is out of session until November 3.
Trump’s Push: End the Twice-a-Year Clock Switch
The Sunshine Protection Act would keep clocks on daylight saving time all year. Right now, clocks spring ahead one hour in the spring and fall back to standard time in the fall, and the bill would end that back-and-forth. Trump says the change would give families more evening daylight and he has pushed the Senate to take it up.
In his Saturday post, Trump told voters: “So, everyone in Arkansas, a State I love, and won 3 times, the last by by 34 points, tell Tom to, GET IT DONE!” He also said passing the bill would be good news for golfers.
Cotton’s Answer: Dark Winter Mornings
Cotton has said he opposes permanent daylight saving time. His point is about winter. With clocks stuck an hour ahead, the sun would rise very late on winter mornings, and children would walk or ride to school in the dark. He says Arkansas families come first.
A Senate hold is simple to use. Under Senate rules, one senator can object when leaders try to pass a bill by unanimous consent, which is the quick way to pass something without a long debate. Without that quick path, the bill would need much more floor time.
What Happens Next and Why It Matters
Clocks go back one hour to standard time on Sunday, November 1, the same as every year. The Senate is out of session until November 3, so no vote can happen before then.
The House did its part in July. Trump has now made Cotton the face of the holdup, and the bill stays where it is until Cotton lifts his hold or Senate leaders find another way to move it. For anyone who changes the clocks twice a year, that is the fight to watch.
Sources:
cbsnews.com, edition.cnn.com, washingtonexaminer.com, nypost.com
