Congress May Extend Daylight-Saving Time

[crazytimes]

I like this idea! I more daylight the better I say!

WASHINGTON - If Congress passes an energy bill, Americans may see more daylight-saving time.

Lawmakers crafting energy legislation approved an amendment Wednesday to extend daylight-saving time by two months, having it start on the last Sunday in March and end on the last Sunday in November.

"Extending daylight-saving time makes sense, especially with skyrocketing energy costs," said Rep. Fred Upton (news, bio, voting record), R-Mich., who along with Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass., co-sponsored the measure.

The amendment was approved by the House Energy and Commerce Committee that is putting together major parts of energy legislation likely to come up for a vote in the full House in the coming weeks.

"The more daylight we have, the less electricity we use," said Markey, who cited Transportation Department estimates that showed the two-month extension would save the equivalent of 10,000 barrels of oil a day.

The country uses about 20 million barrels of oil a day.

[sheriera]

Sounds good to me!

[Shainie]

I heard this a few weeks ago and think it's a GREAT idea.

[ShainaT]

I like the idea too!

Why not just leave it like this ALL the time?

[crazytimes]

Well, if we left it that way all the time, wouldn't it basically "cancel" itself out? I don't know changing the clocks is simple, yet at the same time sort of complicated. It's always confused me .

[verwon]

This is really bizarre, it really will not change anything or have any effect on the amount of energy we use or how much daylight we have in a day.

The government cannot control the sun. The day will still be 24 hours long, daylight will still start at dawn and night at dusk. Nothing will change its rate, no matter how many times we do or don't change our clocks.

[rk24]

verwon is right about the daylight time. even if you do extend it 2 more months it may stay daylight a little longer in afternoon but it will be a little longer before it gets good and daylight in the mornings. for instance if you live on east coast and don't change it like normal it will be about 7:30 before its daylight.

[verwon]

Yep, really all we do is play with the clocks, it has no effect on HOW much light we actually have.

[june72]

gosh dh would love that.

[tlspiegel]

I'm so glad we don't ever change the time in AZ. Huge PITA! lol

[verwon]

I went to college in the area of Indiana where they don't do DST, I always forgot and would call my dad to find out it was later here and he would already be in bed. OOPS!