Lawmakers eager to save more daylight time
Instead of early April to late October, daylight saving would run from early March to late November. Unlike in the past, there has been no opposition.
By ANITA KUMAR
Published April 21, 2005
WASHINGTON - Members of Congress can't agree on much of anything these days - from Social Security to judicial nominations to the federal budget - but here's an idea everyone is getting behind:
Extending the summer.
Lawmakers want to extend daylight saving time so there would be an extra hour of daylight each night for eight extra weeks a year. Instead of running from early April to late October, daylight saving would run from early March to late November.
The change is touted as a way to conserve energy at a time of record oil prices, but its benefits are being imagined in countless other ways.
Making it safer to drive home from work. Reducing the number of muggings. Boosting the economy by allowing more people to shop in the evenings and go out to dinner. Allowing gardeners and sports enthusiasts to stay out longer. Getting more voters to the polls on Election Day.
"In addition to the benefits of energy savings, less crime, fewer traffic fatalities, more recreation time and increased economic activity, daylight savings just brings a smile to everybody's faces," said Rep. Ed Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat and sponsor. "We all just feel sunnier after we set the clocks back."
The provision was tucked into the massive energy bill expected to pass the House today. The Senate is expected to take up its version of the energy bill next month.
Many aspects of the bill will spawn passionate debate today, including opening an Alaska wildlife refuge to oil drilling and providing billions of dollars in tax breaks to industry, but so far there has been no opposition to extending daylight saving time.
Lawmakers last tampered with daylight saving time nearly two decades ago. Those opposed included farmers who see early mornings as crucial work time and parents who didn't want their children waiting for buses in the dark.
This time, no one has publicly opposed the proposal. Even the American Farm Bureau Federation changed its stance a decade ago, and no longer had an opinion.
"I'm surprised there hasn't been more opposition," said David Prerau, author of Seize the Daylight: The Curious and Contentious Story of Daylight Saving Time, who supports an extension. "It's been a constant controversy every time it's been proposed."
The last study on daylight saving time from the mid 1970s shows a switch could save the equivalent of 100,000 barrels of oil a day, or 1 percent of the nation's energy consumption. At $50 a barrel, that's $300-million in savings, by congressional estimates.
"Extending daylight saving time makes sense, especially with skyrocketing energy costs," said Rep. Fred Upton, a Michigan Republican and sponsor. "The more daylight we have, the less electricity we use. It is that simple. Not only will Americans have more light at their disposal during March and November days, we will also be keeping our energy consumption as a nation down."
Studies also showed the change would reduce traffic accidents, saving 25 lives and preventing 1,000 injuries each month.
Daylight saving time now runs from the first Sunday in April to the last Sunday in October. The bill would have it start the first Sunday in March and end the last Sunday in November.
A change could take place as early as this fall if both chambers include it in the final energy bill and President Bush signs it before October. If he signs a bill after that, it would go into effect next year.
The Senate has not added the provision into its energy bill. But Joe Barton, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said he thinks both chambers will agree.
"It's not too controversial," said Barton, R-Texas. "And it has the potential for quite an amazing amount of energy savings, which surprised me."
Benjamin Franklin suggested manipulating the daylight in 1784 as a way to save on candles. It was used in both world wars to save energy for the military effort.
Congress created the current system in 1966, though it was temporarily extended during the oil embargo and energy crisis of the 1970s.
In 1986, Congress moved the starting date to the first Sunday in April - its current schedule - after reaching a compromise that only allowed a three-week extension. Markey, dubbed the "Sun King" by some newspapers, sponsored the legislation in 1986.
Three states - Indiana, Arizona and Hawaii - do not adhere completely or in part to daylight saving time. Indiana is embroiled its own debate over a proposal by the governor to put the entire state on daylight saving time. Under the energy bill proposal, states could still opt out.
"It has benefits and no real drawbacks," said Lowell Ungar, policy manager for the Alliance to Save Energy, which has reviewed the energy bill. "It's no sacrifice. It's just a way to work smarter."
For parents who like to wait until the sun goes down before taking the kids trick or treating, here's the Halloween situation this year: Sunset on Oct. 31 is 5:47 p.m.; with extended daylight savings, that would be 6:47 p.m.
Times researchers Kitty Bennett and Caryn Baird contributed to this report. Anita Kumar can be reached at kumar@sptimes.com or 202 463-0576.