During Thursday's Senate Commerce Committee hearing, Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE) advocated for the need for a permanent time.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00And I'll now turn to Senator Blunt-Rochester for her opening.
00:04Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for holding this important hearing.
00:09In our increasingly connected world, it's more important than ever that we're thoughtful about what it would mean to pick a permanent time for our country.
00:20The Senate has tried this before, but the bill stalled as this body took a harder look at how time changes work state by state.
00:29What works in my home state of Delaware may not work in Washington state.
00:34But I know I speak for many Americans when I say it's time, it's time to figure this out.
00:42People across our country are tired of the constant cycle of falling back and springing forward.
00:50I mean, who hasn't forgotten to change their clock on their microwave?
00:53I think mine is still on the wrong time and felt the immediate panic of waking up late for work.
01:02Or think about the parents of young children and pet owners who have to adjust sleep and feeding schedules twice a year.
01:09Some would say that these are just inconveniences.
01:12But the back and forth between daylight savings time and standard time needs to change and needs to stop.
01:21We need to stop the clock.
01:24We need to find a solution and stick with it.
01:28Many states across our nation have started to consider legislation to pick a permanent time.
01:34Some, like Delaware, have pushed for keeping daylight saving time.
01:38The time we're in right now, permanently.
01:41Others have sought to keep the standard time when we fall back permanently.
01:48But here's the thing.
01:50These twice yearly time changes have real impacts on real people.
01:56We know that changing the clock disrupts sleep, which can lead to negative health outcomes.
02:02Several studies have noted issues with mood disturbances, increased hospital admissions, and even heart attacks and strokes.
02:09We also know that being able to see the sun improves mental and physical health as well.
02:17But more than that, time changes can impact the safety of our communities.
02:22Darker commuting times increase the risk of injuries and even death on our way to school or work.
02:29My home state has one of the highest per capita rates of pedestrian fatalities.
02:34And dark roads with tired drivers make it more dangerous for pedestrians.
02:40The important thing is that we land on something consistent and make smart investments to keep people safe.
02:47For example, there were programs that we authorized in the bipartisan infrastructure law that focused on common-sense safety improvements.
02:57But they are set to expire this Congress.
02:59I hope the committee will keep this discussion in mind when it comes time to reauthorize these infrastructure investments.
03:06Investments that could keep light, or that could light up dark streets, add rumble strips to medians, turn chaotic intersections into roundabouts, and more.
03:18These are the kinds of smart policy choices we can make to protect people year-round, regardless of whether it is daylight saving time or standard time.
03:28But the first step is getting us all on the same page.
03:33I'm looking forward to today's conversation about the competing health, safety, and economic impacts of choosing a permanent time for our communities and moving the ball forward on this important issue.
03:46Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I turn it back to you.