Changing Times: Revisiting Spring Forward, Fall Back (U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce)

Hearing	Changing Times: Revisiting Spring Forward, Fall Back
Committee	U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce
Date	March 9, 2022

 

Hearing Takeaways:

• Daylight Saving Time: The hearing focused on the U.S.’s observance of daylight saving time and how this observance impacts both people and the broader economy. Daylight saving time refers to the practice of adjusting the official time during the warmer months so as to optimize the amount of sunlight that most people would receive while awake. Currently, most states in the U.S. observe daylight saving time from early Mach to early November.
  • Impact on Crime: Mr. Calandrillo remarked that daylight saving time was associated with a reduction in crime as bad actors tended to engage in criminal activities during the evening darkness. He explained that daylight saving time reduced the amount of evening darkness, which provided these bad actors with less opportunities to commit crimes. He also stated that bad actors were less likely to engage in crime during the morning darkness. Dr. Malow suggested however that sleep loss and circadian misalignment stemming from daylight saving time might make struggling children more prone to turn to crime. She also stated that better sleep tended to lead to better situational awareness, which made people less apt to becoming the targets of crimes.
  • Impact on Commerce: Mr. Beckwith and Mr. Calandrillo highlighted how daylight saving time was associated with a consistent increase in commerce. They noted how Americans were more prone to engage in certain activities, such as dining out, shopping, and outdoor recreation, during the evening hours as compared to during the morning hours. They stated that the increases in evening sunlight stemming from daylight saving time made people more prone to engage in these activities. Mr. Beckwith testified that U.S. convenience stores derived a disproportionate share of their sales during the period of the year in which the U.S. observes daylight saving time.
  • Impact on Energy Consumption: Subcommittee Members, Mr. Beckwith, and Mr. Calandrillo highlighted how daylight saving time led to energy savings because additional sunlight served as a natural source of light and heat for homes and businesses. They stated however that daylight saving time’s impact on energy consumption was diminishing over time due to the invention of new types of appliances and devices that were more energy efficient.
  • Impact on Health: A key area of concern during the hearing was daylight saving time’s impact on health. Dr. Malow noted how the change between standard time and daylight saving time was linked with strokes, heart attacks, and adolescent sleep deprivation. She also noted how daylight saving time forced many Americans (including K-12 students) to receive too much sunlight during the evening hours and not enough sunlight during the morning hours. She stated this situation caused chronic sleep loss and circadian misalignment, which had numerous associated negative health impacts. These adverse health impacts include obesity, diabetes, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease. Mr. Calandrillo suggested that these morning sunlight concerns could be mitigated for children through having schools start later. He also stated that daylight saving time provided children with more sunlight during the afternoon hours, which resulted in more opportunities to engage in outdoor activities during the winter months. He commented that these opportunities were beneficial for both the physical and mental health of children.
  • Impact on Minority and Vulnerable Populations: Rep. Bobby Rush (D-IL) and Dr. Malow expressed concerns that the adverse health impacts associated with switching between standard time and daylight saving time were felt more acutely or prevalently in lower income and minority communities. Dr. Malow noted how these Americans were less likely to be able to work remotely and had less control over their work schedules, which made them more likely to deal with morning darkness and experience circadian misalignment.
  • Impact on Vehicle and Pedestrian Safety: Mr. Calandrillo discussed how more deaths were associated with darkness during the evening hours than during the early morning hours. He remarked that daylight saving time reduced vehicle accidents and increased pedestrian safety. Dr. Malow stated however that morning darkness stemming from daylight saving time made teenagers more prone to have vehicles accidents during the morning hours. She attributed this propensity to the sleep loss associated with daylight saving time.
• Policy Proposals to Address Daylight Saving Time: The hearing considered policy proposals for reforming the U.S.’s current approach to daylight saving time. Most Subcommittee Members remained undecided on the issue and used the hearing to learn about the issue. Both Full Committee Chairman Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Full Committee Ranking Member Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) mentioned how they had requested that the U.S. Department of Transportation (which has jurisdiction over the Uniform Time Act of 1966) conduct an evaluation of the issue. Of note, Full Committee Chairman Pallone asserted that the U.S. must choose to either make standard time permanent or daylight saving time permanent. He stated that any justification for switching between the two systems were either outdated or outweighed by the “serious” health and economic costs associated with the time changes. He commented however that he remained undecided as to whether the U.S. should adopt permanent daylight saving time or permanent standard time.
  • Proposal to Make Daylight Saving Time Permanent: Rep. Neal Dunn (R-FL), Rep. Darren Soto (D-FL), and Mr. Calandrillo all expressed support for making daylight saving time permanent. They primarily emphasized how daylight saving time helped to promote commercial activity, outdoor activity, and safety. Of note, Florida has passed state-level legislation to make daylight saving time permanent that requires federal legislation to take effect.
  • Proposal to Make Standard Time Permanent: Dr. Malow expressed support for making standard time permanent and stated that this approach was most conducive to supporting healthy sleep patterns. She emphasized how healthy sleep patterns were particularly important for children and teenagers.
  • Proposal to Maintain the Status Quo: Mr. Beckwith expressed support for continuing the switch between standard time and daylight saving time. He commented that this approach balanced commerce considerations and the need for children to travel to school in daylight during the wintertime. He also downplayed the concerns that the time switch between daylight saving time and standard time was especially hazardous and compared the switch to the time switch that occurs during jet lag. Dr. Malow remarked however that jet lag was different than the time switch between standard time and daylight saving time because a traveler that moved across time zones was changing their environment. She elaborated that the sun in the traveler’s destination would help to reset the traveler’s circadian rhythms.
• Variations State Approaches to Daylight Saving Time: Subcommittee Members and the hearing’s witnesses expressed interest regarding the ability of states to set their own daylight saving time policies. Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI) and Rep. Debbie Lesko (R-AZ) contended that states should be able to determine whether or not they want to maintain daylight saving time. Rep. Lesko commented that many states had geographies and climates that made daylight saving time suboptimal. Full Committee Ranking Member Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) expressed concerns however that differences across states regarding daylight saving time would lead to greater confusion for businesses and consumers. 

Hearing Witnesses:

1. Mr. Steve Calandrillo, Jeffrey and Susan Brotman Professor of Law, University of Washington School of Law
2. Dr. Beth Malow, M.D., Professor of Neurology and Pediatrics, Director, Vanderbilt Sleep Division, Vanderbilt University Medical Center
3. Mr. Lyle Beckwith, Senior Vice President, Government Relations, National Association of Convenience Stores

Member Opening Statements:

Subcommittee Chairman Jan Schakowsky (D-IL):

• She noted how the U.S.’s regulation of time keeping dated back to the late 19th century and explained that this regulation had started in response to the railroad industry’s growth.
  • She elaborated that this regulation sought to prevent confusions over the official time so that trade and travel would not be impaired.
• She mentioned how Congress had established five time zones to provide a standard time and had created daylight saving time in 1918.
• She then recounted how daylight saving time was abolished at the federal level following World War II and indicated that localities had continued to observe daylight saving time following this abolition.
• She stated that the U.S.’s inconsistent policies regarding daylight saving time had led the U.S. Interstate Commerce Commission to recommend that Congress reexamine the issue.
  • She noted how Congress ultimately passed the Uniform Time Act of 1966 to address this confusion and indicated that this law still governs daylight saving time.
• She then remarked that daylight saving time has both benefits and drawbacks.
  • She noted how opponents of daylight saving time argued that the loss of an hour of sunlight in the morning had an adverse impact on health, children’s commutes to school, and traffic safety.
  • She also noted however that proponents of daylight saving time argued that the addition of an hour of sunlight in the evening was beneficial to restaurants, commerce, and tourism.
• She also mentioned how proponents of daylight saving time argued that it reduced energy consumption and indicated that these proponents often cited a 2008 U.S. Department of Energy study on the topic.
  • She commented however that other studies on the topic had found more mixed results.
• She further noted how studies had found that the transition between standard time and daylight saving time caused cumulative sleep loss, which might ultimately result in more heart attacks and mood disorders.

Subcommittee Ranking Member Gus Bilirakis (R-FL):

• He discussed how the issue of daylight saving time had long been of interest to the Congress and the Committee.
  • He mentioned how his constituents had also expressed interest in this issue.
• He recounted how the Committee had previously considered daylight saving time legislation as a way to reduce energy consumption during the spring and summer months.
• He then discussed how the human body often faced challenges in terms of transitioning in and out of daylight saving time and commented that this toll could be “severe.”
  • He noted that the health effects of this transition included depression, heart attacks, and strokes.
• He also expressed interest in exploring the effects of daylight saving time on the economy and stated that daylight saving time benefited the travel and tourism industries.
• He mentioned how his state of Florida had passed legislation to make daylight saving time permanent year-round.
  • He indicated that federal legislation was needed for this state legislation to go into effect.

Full Committee Chairman Frank Pallone (D-NJ):

• He mentioned a 2019 poll had found that 71 percent of Americans did not like the time changes associated with the beginning and ending of daylight saving time.
• He noted how there have been numerous justifications for daylight saving time since its adoption in the U.S. and indicated that the most popular justification was its impact on energy consumption.
  • He explained that daylight saving time caused sunsets to occur later, which reduced the need for people to turn on their lights at night.
• He remarked however that modern luxuries, such as heating, air conditioning, and other appliances, had reduced the energy conservation benefits of daylight saving time.
  • He also commented that advancements in LED lighting and other energy efficient appliances were causing the energy conservation argument for daylight saving time to become moot.
• He further stated that these time changes impacted the health of Americans and noted how there had historically occurred increases in heart attacks and strokes in the two days immediately following the time change date.
  • He also mentioned how these time changes led children to receive less sleep, which was harmful.
• He then discussed how these time changes had adverse impacts on the economy and noted how U.S. employers had reported a 6 percent increase in workplace injuries in the days following the time change.
  • He highlighted how studies had found workers were less productive in the days immediately following time changes.
• He expressed interest in further evaluating the benefits and costs of reforming daylight saving time.
  • He mentioned how he and Full Committee Ranking Member Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) intended to request that the U.S. Department of Transportation conduct an evaluation on the issue.
• He indicated that he remained undecided as to whether the U.S. ought to permanently adopt either standard time or daylight saving time.
• He asserted however that the U.S. must choose only one of these time keeping systems and stop switching between the two systems.
  • He commented that any justification for switching between the two systems was either outdated or outweighed by the “serious” health and economic costs associated with the time changes.

Full Committee Ranking Member Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA):

• She noted how the time change associated with daylight saving time coincided with worse student test scores, spikes in car accidents, and heart attacks.
• She mentioned how she was working with Full Committee Chairman Frank Pallone (D-NJ) to inquire about the U.S. Department of Transportation’s enforcement of the Uniform Time Act of 1966.
• She remarked however that the Committee ought to prioritize other policy issues over daylight saving time.
  • She specifically called on the Committee to address domestic energy production.
• She then yielded her time to Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI).

Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI):

• He recounted how the Committee had reformed the U.S.’s daylight saving time system in 2005 and noted how the U.S. Naval Observatory (USNO) had advised the Committee on these efforts.
• He indicated that these reforms resulted in daylight saving time having its start date moved up and its end date moved back.
  • He mentioned how the Committee had extended daylight saving time to November in part to make Halloween safer for children.
• He then discussed the various benefits of daylight saving time, including energy conservation, reduced crime, reduced car accidents, more economic activity, and more time for outdoor leisure activities.
• He remarked that states should be able to determine whether or not they want to maintain daylight saving time.
  • He also suggested that moving the start and end of daylight saving time from Sunday to Saturday would be beneficial because this move would provide Americans with additional time to adjust to the time change.

Witness Opening Statements:

Mr. Steve Calandrillo (University of Washington School of Law):

• He called on Congress to make daylight saving time permanent year-round and cited five reasons for this proposed policy change.
  • He indicated that the first reason was that permanent daylight saving time would save lives through providing more consistent light.
  • He indicated that the second reason was that permanent daylight saving time would prevent crime.
  • He indicated that the third reason was that permanent daylight saving time would lead to energy savings.
  • He indicated that the fourth reason was that permanent daylight saving time would end the health problems associated with time changes.
  • He indicated that the fifth reason was that permanent daylight saving time would benefit business and recreational interests.
• He discussed how more car-related deaths were associated with darkness during the evening rush hour than during the early morning rush hour and noted that making daylight saving time permanent would reduce the length of darkness during the evening hours.
  • He attributed these increased deaths during the evening rush hour to greater levels of traffic, alcohol consumption, fatigue, stress, and outdoor recreational activities.
• He also highlighted bad actors often engaged in criminal activities during the evening darkness and stated that making daylight saving time permanent would reduce this prime window for criminal activity.
• He then noted how daylight saving time led to energy savings because additional sunlight served as a natural source of light and heat for houses.
  • He acknowledged that while new types of appliances had caused these energy savings to diminish over time, he asserted that there remained energy savings associated with daylight saving time.
• He further remarked that making daylight saving time permanent would prevent disruptions to circadian rhythms that arose when people needed to adjust to new times.
• He lastly mentioned how increased sunlight was beneficial for recreational and commercial interests.

Mr. Lyle Beckwith (National Association of Convenience Stores):

• He remarked that daylight saving time was beneficial for U.S. business and commerce and urged Congress to maintain daylight saving time.
  • He stated that there existed many benefits associated with having increased light during the early evening hours, including increased economic activity and reduced motor vehicle accidents.
• He noted how concerns over making children go to school in the dark in the morning had led Congress to adopt its current system of maintaining both standard and daylight saving time.
• He acknowledged that while there remained questions about the energy saving benefits of daylight saving time, he stated that daylight saving time did reduce the use of electricity for lighting.
  • He commented that this reduced use of electricity for lighting did decrease overall energy demand.
• He also testified that the members of his organization, the National Association of Convenience Stores, had found that daylight saving time was associated with a consistent increase in commerce.
  • He noted how many Americans believed that daylight saving time provided them with time to engage in more activities, such as dining out, shopping, and outdoor recreation.
  • He added that this trend had been observed in various studies.
• He testified that U.S. convenience stores derive a disproportionate share of their annual sales during the period of the year in which the U.S. observes daylight saving time.
  • He indicated that daylight saving time was responsible for about $5 billion in additional sales for the U.S. convenience store industry.

Dr. Beth Malow (Vanderbilt Sleep Division, Vanderbilt University Medical Center):

• She expressed support for making standard time permanent and noted how various sleep medical organizations were also supportive of this approach. 
  • She also called for the U.S. to stop maintaining both standard time and daylight saving time.
• She remarked that making standard time permanent would have several positive health benefits and noted how the annual transition from standard time to daylight saving time was linked with strokes, heart attacks, and adolescent sleep deprivation.
• She noted how permanent standard time would maximize sunlight during winter mornings and reduce the sunlight during summer evenings.
  • She commented that sunlight late during winter mornings helped people to wake up and become alert.
  • She also commented that late sunlight during summer evenings could adversely impact sleep patterns.
• She stated that permanent standard time would benefit U.S. workers who need to report to their jobs at or before 7 a.m.
  • She added that these workers with early reporting times were often essential workers.
• She also noted how roughly half of K-12 students needed to be in school before 8 a.m. and commented that daylight saving time could put these students at risk for chronic sleep loss and circadian misalignment.
  • She discussed how chronic sleep loss and circadian misalignment made people more prone to various health problems, including obesity, diabetes, ADHD, depression, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease.
• She further indicated that people with disabilities and their families were particularly susceptible to the challenges associated with time changes.

Congressional Question Period:

Subcommittee Chairman Jan Schakowsky (D-IL):

• Chairman Schakowsky asked the witnesses to indicate whether the U.S. ought to end the practice of switching between standard time and daylight saving time.
  • Mr. Calandrillo expressed support for ending the switch between standard time and daylight saving time.
  • Dr. Malow expressed support for ending the switch between standard time and daylight saving time. She stated that there were health impacts and inconveniences associated with the switch.
  • Mr. Beckwith expressed support for continuing the switch between standard time and daylight saving time. He stated that this approach balanced commerce considerations and the need for children to travel to school in daylight during the wintertime.
• Chairman Schakowsky mentioned how a recent study had found that over 70 percent of Americans were in favor of a system that would not entail a switch between standard time and daylight saving time. She asked the witnesses to indicate whether they would choose for the U.S. to adopt either standard time on a permanent basis or daylight saving time on a permanent basis.
  • Mr. Calandrillo expressed support for making daylight saving time permanent. He commented that this approach would provide “enormous” economic and health benefits.
  • Dr. Malow expressed support for making standard time permanent.
  • Mr. Beckwith reiterated that his organization’s top preference was to maintain the status quo of having both standard time and daylight saving time. He stated however that his organization would prefer to make daylight saving time permanent over making standard time permanent.

Note: The Subcommittee took an approximately 30-minute recess at this point during the hearing.

Subcommittee Ranking Member Gus Bilirakis (R-FL):

• Ranking Member Bilirakis expressed concerns over the U.S.’s high number of traffic fatalities. He called on the Subcommittee to approve legislation on advanced driving systems and autonomous vehicles (AVs) to help address these fatalities. He asked Mr. Calandrillo to elaborate on the dangers that both children and senior citizens faced as a result of early evening darkness under standard time.
  • Mr. Calandrillo highlighted how evening rush hour traffic was twice as dangerous as morning rush hour traffic. He stated that increasing the amount of evening sunlight time would therefore make evening driving safer. He then acknowledged the concerns that permanent daylight saving time could lead children to go to school in the morning darkness. He suggested that this concern could be addressed through having schools start later in the morning.
• Ranking Member Bilirakis expressed receptiveness toward Mr. Calandrillo’s suggestion to have later start times for schools. He then noted how different cities received significantly different amounts of daylight. He raised concerns that children in parts of the country that had earlier sunset times might face challenges in terms of receiving enough exercise. He commented that these exercise concerns had taken on increased importance given the prevalence of social media and screen addiction. He asked Dr. Malow to indicate whether she had any concerns that a permanent shift to standard time could impact activity levels among children.
  • Dr. Malow remarked that multiple factors affected the ability of children to engage in physical activity, including daylight, fatigue levels, and their schools. She thanked Mr. Calandrillo for highlighting the importance of later school start times. She stated that it was important for children to wake up to sunlight and commented that this would improve sleep for children.

Full Committee Chairman Frank Pallone (D-NJ):

• Chairman Pallone remarked that changing between standard time and daylight saving time had severe health impacts and emphasized the health benefits of sleep. He asked Dr. Malow to elaborate on how sleep loss and changing sleep patterns could have a “major” impact on health. He also asked Dr. Malow to address how stopping the switch between standard time and daylight saving time could help to alleviate these health impacts. He further asked Dr. Malow to address how policymakers ought to consider children’s health when reforming time policies. He expressed his support for making either standard time or daylight saving time permanent and stated that the U.S. should not be switching between the two time systems. He commented however that he remained undecided as to which system should be adopted on a permanent basis.
  • Dr. Malow remarked that switching between standard time and daylight saving time had adverse health impacts for both adults and children. She noted how teenagers were particularly susceptible to sleep problems because puberty causes changes in their melatonin levels. She added that early school start times could exacerbate these sleep problems for teenagers. She contended that ending the transition between standard time and daylight saving time would therefore have health benefits for teenagers. She then asserted that the U.S. should adopt permanent standard time. She discussed how light during the morning hours helped students to become alert and noted how many students drove to school during the early morning hours. She indicated that studies had found that students were more likely to be involved in car accidents when driving during these early morning hours. She further mentioned how sleep loss often caused students to experience various health problems, including depression, ADHD, self-harm, and obesity. She stated that permanent standard time would make it easier for students to fall asleep at night and wake up refreshed in the morning, which would in turn reduce the aforementioned health problems.
• Chairman Pallone then noted how the switch between standard time and daylight saving time hurt the economy in terms of reduced workplace productivity and increased workplace injuries. He asked Mr. Calandrillo to identify additional areas of the economy that were harmed by the switch between standard time and daylight saving time.
  • Mr. Calandrillo mentioned how the increase in the amount of evening sunlight resulting from daylight saving time led more people to engage in commerce. He commented that most people did not engage in commerce during the early morning hours, which meant that sunlight during this period was less helpful.

Rep. Bob Latta (R-OH):

• Rep. Latta first remarked that the issue of daylight saving time was not very important to his constituents. He asserted that the Committee should instead focus on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, rising gas prices, inflation, fentanyl, AVs, national privacy standards, cybersecurity, combating online bad actors, oversight of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and artificial intelligence (AI). He then discussed how many children were currently required to go to school in the dark and noted how morning sunlight varied heavily across the country. He asked Dr. Malow to indicate whether she had conducted any research regarding the adverse impacts of requiring children to go to school in the dark.
  • Dr. Malow testified that there were several studies on the effects of requiring children to go to school in the dark. She mentioned how one study of Virginia students had found that the students that started class earlier in the morning were more likely to be involved in car accidents than the students that started class later in the morning. She indicated that the researchers had attributed this increased likelihood of car accidents to the fact that the students had to drive to school in the dark and were more likely to be sleep deprived. She stated that sleep deprived drivers were more prone to engaging in risky activities, such as texting while driving and not wearing seat belts. She then remarked that making standard time permanent would particularly benefit the western most areas of time zones and noted how these areas experienced later sunrises.
• Rep. Latta noted how driver errors were responsible for 94 percent of car accidents and highlighted how the U.S. had experienced an uptick in pedestrian deaths in recent years. He expressed concerns that morning darkness could imperil the safety of pedestrians and bicycle riders.

Rep. Bobby Rush (D-IL):

• Rep. Rush asked Dr. Malow to address whether the adverse health impacts associated with switching between standard time and daylight saving time were felt more acutely or prevalently in lower income and minority communities.
  • Dr. Malow remarked that lower income Americans and people of color were more susceptible to the adverse health impacts associated with switching between standard time and daylight saving time. She noted how these Americans were less likely to be able to work remotely and had less control over their work schedules. She stated that these Americans (as well as students) were therefore more likely to be forced to deal with morning darkness and experience circadian misalignment.
• Rep. Rush then asked Dr. Malow to discuss how switching between standard time and daylight saving time impacts mental health.
  • Dr. Malow testified that medical literature had found a causal link between lack of sleep and mental health issues (including depression and ADHD). She stated that making standard time permanent would maximize sleep (which would in turn have a positive impact on mental health).
• Rep. Rush asked Dr. Malow to indicate whether a lack of sleep hampered one’s ability to cope with stress.
  • Dr. Malow answered affirmatively. She stated that people needed to get sufficient amounts of sleep and asserted that making standard time permanent would support this aim.

Full Committee Ranking Member Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA):

• Ranking Member McMorris Rodgers highlighted how certain states (such as Arizona) did not observe daylight saving time. She expressed concerns that differences across states regarding daylight saving time would lead to greater confusion for businesses and consumers. She asked Mr. Beckwith to discuss how differences in state observations of daylight saving time might burden his organization’s members.
  • Mr. Beckwith remarked that the need to standardize daylight saving time across states was less clear. He stated that the purpose of daylight saving time was to optimize sunlight. He discussed how the impacts of daylight saving time might vary across different locations within a single time zone due to several factors. He indicated that these factors included the location’s distance from the equator and how far east or west a location was within a given time zone. He contended that communities should have some flexibility to adjust their time systems to respond to these factors. He also asserted that the U.S. needed consistent time systems to avoid confusion.
• Ranking Member McMorris Rodgers asked Mr. Calandrillo to address how a “patchwork” of state time laws would impact the economy and businesses. She specifically asked Mr. Calandrillo to address how such a “patchwork” would impact the airline industry.
  • Mr. Calandrillo remarked that the U.S. should want uniformity in its time policies. He noted how Congress had passed the Uniform Time Act of 1966 to provide consistency in time policies across states and localities. He then expressed support for making daylight saving time permanent. He stated that this change would promote safety and optimize the amount of sunlight that Americans would enjoy. He further mentioned how the great majority of the chambers of commerce (including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce) had stated that the economic effects of daylight saving time were “dramatically positive.”

Rep. Lori Trahan (D-MA):

• Rep. Trahan expressed her interest in the issue of youth mental health and mentioned how she was a supporter of the Youth Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Act of 2021. She noted how this legislation would authorize the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish a grant program for school districts to strengthen behavioral health services and awareness. She also mentioned her support for the Kids Internet Design and Safety (KIDS) Act, which sought to create online spaces that would have a positive impact on the mental health of children. She further discussed how her office was investigating online suicide forums and how these forums were helping children to commit suicide. She then remarked that the issue of time keeping could impact youth mental health. She asked Dr. Malow to address why a consistent sleep pattern was important for the brain development and mental health of teenagers.
  • Dr. Malow mentioned how the American Academy of Sleep Medicine had developed a consensus statement indicating the health impacts of sleep deprivation on children. She noted how the American Academy of Sleep Medicine had found that sleep deprivation amongst children led to heightened risks of self harm, suicidal thoughts, and suicide attempts. She stated that better rested children were less likely to participate in risky activities. She remarked that states could help to promote sleep among children through delaying the start times of schools. She also stated that making standard time permanent would help the sleep patterns of children through ensuring adequate amounts of light during the early morning hours.
• Rep. Trahan then asked Mr. Calandrillo to address how additional sunlight during the evening hours could encourage outdoor play. She also asked Mr. Calandrillo to indicate whether there was any evidence of increases in outdoor play being correlated with less screen time for children.
  • Mr. Calandrillo remarked that making daylight saving time permanent (rather than making standard time permanent) would be better for addressing the mental health needs of children. He noted how children did not play outdoors during the early morning hours and stated that permanent daylight saving time would provide children with more opportunities to play outdoors. He also remarked that seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and depression were major issues when people could not make use of sunlight. He commented that making daylight saving time permanent would enable people to make better use of sunlight, which would help to address the aforementioned health issues.
• Rep. Trahan provided Mr. Beckwith with an opportunity to respond to the previous comments.
  • Mr. Beckwith indicated that he would not comment on the health impacts of sunlight on mental health because he was not a doctor. He expressed skepticism however to the claims that switching between standard time and daylight saving time was very dangerous. He noted how most members of Congress traveled to Washington, DC every week and highlighted how this travel led these members of Congress to lose sleep. He commented that this travel was likely more harmful to one’s health than the biannual switch between standard time and daylight saving time.
• Rep. Trahan reiterated her interest in addressing the U.S.’s mental health challenges and commented that ending the switch between standard time and daylight saving time could help to address these challenges.

Rep. Neal Dunn (R-FL):

• Rep. Dunn criticized the Subcommittee for holding a hearing on daylight saving time and contended that Congress ought to be focusing on other issues. He stated that these issues included the situation in Ukraine, U.S. energy independence, crime, the situation at the U.S.-Mexico border, and inflation. He then expressed his support for making daylight saving time permanent. He also asserted that any changes to daylight saving time should not move the current boundaries of time zones.

Rep. Jerry McNerney (D-CA):

• Rep. McNerney remarked that science must inform Congress’s policy decisions about daylight saving time. He asked Dr. Malow to discuss how sunlight impacts circadian alignment.
  • Dr. Malow noted how morning sunlight made it easier for people to fall asleep at night, which made it easier for people to obtain proper amounts of sleep. She commented that permanent standard time would make it easier for people to obtain morning sunlight. She then noted how less light during the evening hours helped people to fall asleep because darkness helped in the production of natural melatonin. She highlighted how people living in the western areas of time zones tended to get less sleep. She elaborated that these people tended to receive too much sunlight during the evening hours and not enough sunlight during the morning hours. She added that this reduction in sleep had been linked to obesity and cancer. She remarked that making daylight saving time permanent would exacerbate these adverse health effects because it would lead to less light during the morning hours and more light during the evening hours. She stated that making standard time permanent would by contrast promote more circadian alignment.
• Rep. McNerney asked Dr. Malow to compare the health impacts of changing between standard time and daylight saving time to the health impacts of jet lag.
  • Dr. Malow remarked that jet lag was different than the switch between standard time and daylight saving time because a traveler that moved across time zones was changing their environment. She elaborated that the sun in the traveler’s destination would help to reset the traveler’s circadian rhythms. She emphasized however that the switch between standard time and daylight saving time did not involve a change in the environment. She commented that daylight saving time thus caused suboptimal circadian rhythms for a prolonged period of time.
• Rep. McNerney then recounted how Russia, the United Kingdom (UK), and the U.S. had previously adopted permanent daylight saving time. He noted that these switches had proven unpopular and were quickly reversed in all three countries. He asked Mr. Calandrillo to respond to these three experiences as a proponent of making daylight saving time permanent.
  • Mr. Calandrillo stated that concerns about children’s safety had marred the U.S.’s experience with making daylight saving time permanent during the 1970s. He noted however that the National Safety Council had reviewed the U.S.’s experience with making daylight saving time permanent and had concluded that this policy did not increase the dangers faced by school children. He acknowledged that while permanent daylight saving time resulted in more morning darkness, he emphasized that this policy had also resulted in more sunlight during the afternoon. He stated that this increase in afternoon sunlight helped to avert car accidents and enabled more Americans (and particularly children) to take advantage of the health and economic benefits of sunlight.

Rep. Debbie Lesko (R-AZ):

• Rep. Lesko noted how her state of Arizona had observed permanent standard time for 40 years. She asked Dr. Malow to indicate whether there were any medical studies that had demonstrated that Arizonans were less likely to experience the negative health outcomes associated with daylight saving time.
  • Dr. Malow testified that she was unaware of any studies that particularly focused on the effects of permanent standard time on Arizonans. She stated that studies on daylight saving time tended to focus on the impacts of switching between standard time and daylight saving time. She expressed her willingness to follow-up with Rep. Lesko if she were to find any studies that focused on Arizona’s experience with permanent standard time.
• Rep. Lesko urged Congress to permit Arizona to maintain permanent standard time. She highlighted how Arizona had very high temperatures during the summer months and stated that making daylight saving time permanent nationwide would have adverse consequences for Arizona.

Rep. Tony Cárdenas (D-CA):

• Rep. Cárdenas mentioned how Dr. Malow’s testimony had highlighted the sleep loss associated with switching between standard time and daylight saving time. He noted that this sleep loss impacted adolescent attention spans and adolescent mental health. He asked Dr. Malow to expand on how losing just 30 minutes of sleep could impact adolescent mental health.
  • Dr. Malow noted how the American Academy of Sleep Medicine had found that even a small amount of sleep loss could impact adolescent feelings and alertness levels. She stated that poor sleep was the root cause for many adolescent health problems and that morning sunlight would be beneficial for adolescents. She also expressed support for the adoption of later school start times as a means of promoting sleep.
• Rep. Cárdenas asked Dr. Malow to address whether the prolonged playing of video games could impact a child’s ability to fall asleep.
  • Dr. Malow discussed how prolonged screen time (and its associated blue light) can impact one’s ability to fall asleep. She stated it was important to limit screen time in the hours immediately before people fell asleep. She also noted how sunlight was one of the most potent sources of blue light, which meant that having sunlight later during the evening hours would adversely impact sleep patterns. She remarked policymakers must take a more comprehensive approach to addressing adolescent sleep issues. She commented that this approach would entail addressing screen time and reducing sunlight during the later evening hours.
• Rep. Cárdenas then suggested that governments could use the time surrounding the switch between standard time and daylight saving time to remind Americans of better practices, such as the importance of outdoor activity. He asked Dr. Malow to comment on this suggestion.
  • Dr. Malow remarked that the U.S. should take advantage of the switch between standard time and daylight saving time to remind Americans about the importance of sleep, the need to limit screen time, and the need to engage in more exercise.
• Rep. Cárdenas commented that improving the education of children through better sleep practices would have long-term positive impacts for the economy.

Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI):

• Rep. Dingell asked the witnesses to indicate whether switching between standard time and daylight saving time had negatively impacted the health of Americans.
  • Mr. Calandrillo remarked that switching between standard time and daylight saving time had negatively impacted the health of Americans. He contended that making daylight saving time permanent would constitute the best approach for addressing these health problems.
  • Dr. Malow also remarked that switching between standard time and daylight saving time had negatively impacted the health of Americans. She contended however that making standard time permanent would constitute the best approach for addressing these health problems.
  • Mr. Beckwith remarked that he was not a health expert and would therefore abstain from commenting on the health impacts of the switch between standard time and daylight saving time. He stated that the status quo of switching between standard time and daylight saving time was a sufficient compromise.
• Rep. Dingell asked Dr. Malow to discuss the impact that sleep deprivation had on overall health and moods. She expressed particular interest in how sleep deprivation impacted children.
  • Dr. Malow noted how sleep deprivation could contribute to numerous health problems, including obesity, heart problems, diabetes, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease. She added that sleep deprivation could cause children to experience depression, to engage in self-harm, and to develop ADHD. She remarked that sleep played a key role in promoting overall health and stated that morning sunlight helped people to obtain healthy sleep.
• Rep. Dingell asked Dr. Malow to explain why it was more difficult for the human body to adapt to daylight saving time than for the human body to adapt to new time zones when traveling.
  • Dr. Malow noted how people that traveled across time zones were changing their environments and indicated that sunlight helped the human body to adjust to new time systems. She stated however that the change between standard time and daylight saving time did not result in environmental changes, which meant that the human body had more difficulty in terms of adjusting to new time systems. She further noted how daylight saving time in the U.S. resulted in eight months of the official time system being ill-suited for the human body. She elaborated that daylight saving time resulted in the human body receiving too much sunlight during the evening hours and not enough sunlight during the morning hours.
• Rep. Dingell noted how Dr. Malow had indicated that there was an uptick in heart attacks and strokes during the springtime change from standard time to daylight saving time. She asked Dr. Malow to explain why the loss of sleep stemming from this change caused this uptick. She also asked Dr. Malow to indicate whether these heart attacks and strokes were more prevalent among shift workers and people of lower socioeconomic status.
  • Dr. Malow noted how the switch to daylight saving time was responsible for sleep loss and circadian misalignment. She commented that vulnerable populations (such as the elderly and shift workers) were more susceptible to these issues.

Rep. Robin Kelly (D-IL):

• Rep. Kelly asked Mr. Calandrillo to elaborate on his assertion that making daylight saving time permanent would reduce crime.
  • Mr. Calandrillo noted how crime tended to spike during the after school and after work hours. He stated that most criminals did not like to engage in illicit activity when there was sunlight because it increased the likelihood that they would be caught. He remarked that adding sunlight to the evening hours would therefore reduce the opportunities for criminals to engage in illicit activity. He mentioned how studies had estimated that one more hour of evening sunlight would lead to a 20 percent reduction in street crime, juvenile crime, vandalism, and graffiti. He then remarked that policymakers must acknowledge that many Americans will not wake up at sunrise and asserted that policymakers must put sunlight into the hours of the day when they would be most used. He concluded that making daylight saving time permanent would help to both reduce crime and spur economic activity.
• Rep. Kelly asked Mr. Calandrillo to address whether criminals would alter their schedules if daylight saving time were to be made permanent. She commented that criminals tended to be opportunistic by nature.
  • Mr. Calndrillo remarked that criminals did not work in morning darkness and highlighted how crime rates were “exceptionally low” at the 5 a.m. and 6 a.m. hours.
• Rep. Kelly asked Mr. Beckwith to address whether his organization’s member companies had raised concerns over the impact of daylight saving time on crime rates.
  • Mr. Beckwith remarked that criminals were opportunistic in nature and wanted to commit robberies during periods of darkness. He expressed uncertainty as to whether making daylight saving time permanent would dramatically impact crime rates.
  • Mr. Calandrillo reiterated that crime rates were very low during the 5 a.m. and 6 a.m. hours. He asserted that criminals were not taking advantage of morning darkness to commit crimes.
• Rep. Kelly asked Dr. Malow to elaborate on how the sleep loss and circadian misalignment stemming from the switch between standard time and daylight saving time could impact crime rates and decision making among children and juveniles.
  • Dr. Malow stated that sleep loss and circadian misalignment might make struggling children more prone to turn to crime. She indicated that she was not a crime expert and expressed hesitancy to make definitive statements regarding this topic. She also remarked that better sleep tended to lead to better situational awareness, which made people less apt to becoming the targets of crimes.
  • Mr. Calandrillo stated that while sleep was beneficial for reducing crime, he reiterated that crime rates were much lower in morning darkness than in evening darkness. He emphasized that daylight saving time reduced the total amount of evening darkness.

Rep. Darren Soto (D-FL):

• Rep. Soto recounted how he had drafted the Sunshine Protection Act in 2013 while serving as a Florida state senator. He explained that this state legislation would make daylight saving time permanent within the state of Florida. He mentioned that he had refiled this bill four times while serving in the Florida Senate and that this bill was later passed into law after he had left the Florida Senate. He highlighted how Florida’s daylight saving time legislation provided schools with flexibility over their start times to protect against students being forced to go to school in the dark. He also stated how this law did not impact farmers and commented that farmers tended to wake up at dawn regardless of the official time. He further mentioned how local tourism businesses and restaurants were very supportive of this law because it would lead to more evening sunlight (which would in turn lead to more commerce). He lastly highlighted how the law encouraged more exercise and outdoor activities. He remarked that Congress should make daylight saving time permanent. He asked Mr. Calandrillo to discuss how making daylight saving time permanent would help small and mid-sized businesses (particularly in the tourism and restaurant sectors).
  • Mr. Calandrillo remarked that sunlight during the afternoon and evening hours was important for businesses because people tended to shop and engage in outdoor activities during these hours. He asserted that sunlight during the morning hours would not have the same economic effects as sunlight during the afternoon and evening hours. He noted how chambers of commerce were very supportive of the economic productivity created by daylight saving time. He then acknowledged that making daylight saving time permanent would reduce morning sunlight, which could make sleep more difficult. He contended however that the benefits of making daylight saving time permanent outweighed the costs of this policy change.
• Rep. Soto reiterated the importance of providing schools with flexibility over their start times to mitigate the morning darkness if daylight saving time were to be made permanent. He also expressed interest in monitoring and addressing the needs of the elderly if daylight saving time were to be made permanent.