A long-standing American tradition could soon be heading for the history books. Legislation aimed at eliminating the twice-yearly clock change cleared a major hurdle on Monday after being approved by a key House panel, bringing the nation one step closer to year-round Daylight Saving Time.

The House Rules Committee voted 6-4 to advance the Sunshine Protection Act, sending the bill to the full House of Representatives for debate and a vote. While the committee’s approval does not make the proposal law, it marks a significant legislative step forward.

If passed by Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump, the measure would make Daylight Saving Time permanent across the nation, ending the biannual ritual of “springing forward” and “falling back.”

Under permanent Daylight Saving Time, Americans would gain an extra hour of evening light during the winter, but trade away early morning sunlight.

Using Tennessee as an example, the trade-off becomes clear:

• Evening Light: Nashville’s earliest winter sunset would shift from 4:32 p.m. to 5:32 p.m., giving residents more daylight after work and school.

• Darker Mornings: The shift would push Nashville’s latest winter sunrise to 7:58 a.m. The impact is even more pronounced in East Tennessee, where Knoxville would not see sunrise until 8:46 a.m. during the peak of winter.

• Other Cities: Memphis would see its latest winter sunrise move from 7:01 a.m. to 8:01 a.m.

The Debate: Extra Daylight vs. Dark Mornings

The Sunshine Protection Act must still be debated and passed by the full House of Representatives and cleared by Congress before reaching the President’s desk. If enacted, existing exemptions would remain in place for states and territories that do not currently observe Daylight Saving Time.