Last month, almost the entire country performed the biannual ritual of changing our clocks.

In this case, springing forward to start daylight saving time.

But on Capitol Hill today, lawmakers debated getting rid of this practice once and for all.

William Brangham explains.

I know I speak for many Americans when I say it's time, it's time to figure this out.

Congress has the authority to end this outdated and harmful practice.

We just have to make daylight savings time permanent, in my opinion, one way or the other,

or at least get more. We need more sunshine.

Today's hearing, named after shares hit song, if I could turn back time, examined a bipartisan

bill called the Sunshine Protection Act, which would change our current system, where in March,

most states spring forward to daylight saving time, and then in November, fall back to standard time.

This law would establish permanent daylight saving time nationwide. No more switching.

The American people are sick and tired of changing the clocks twice a year. It's confusing,

unnecessary, and completely outdated. My name is Scott Yates. I've been reading, writing, and testifying about this for nearly a decade, and I have this

recommendation.

Scott Yates, founder of the Lock the Clock campaign, has been on a year's long mission

to ditch the switch.

He cites evidence that in the days immediately following the time change, human health

suffers.

Peer-reviewed studies consistently show that heart attacks go up,

strokes, car crashes, even miscarriages spike

in those days following the spring switch.

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