Consumer Protection and Commerce Republican Leader Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) delivered opening remarks at today’s Subcommittee hearing on reforming daylight savings.
Excerpts and highlights from his remarks below:
“Thank you, madam chair, for holding this hearing and examining current Daylight Savings Time and our ‘spring forward’ coming on Sunday. And thank you to our witnesses for testifying and providing your expertise on this matter, I look forward to hearing each of your perspectives.”
HISTORY OF DAYLIGHT SAVINGS
“Since 1918, when Daylight Savings Time was first enacted, it has received many praises and criticisms, as well as many attempted revisions from this body of Congress.
“I know that almost 40 years ago, this Committee held a hearing on legislation to extend Daylight Savings Time, a hearing which my Dad sat on this dais when he served on the Subcommittee on Energy Conservation.
“Back then, the legislation would have extended this practice with the aim to decrease energy consumption during the spring and summer – a continuation of its original purpose to reduce the usage of oil during the first World War.
“While I have heard the original desired outcome of this practice may have diminished over the course of the last 100 years, a topic I hope to discuss today, I know that American’s opinions of Daylight Savings Time have not.”
IMPLICATIONS FOR DAYLIGHT SAVINGS FOR AMERICANS
“This is a topic that I continue to hear about back home from my constituents, so hopefully this hearing serves to educate the members on this dais so we can make informed decisions moving forward.
“And while there are certainly many topics that deserve our attention in this subcommittee, today’s topic comes just a few days before we once again trudge through a ritual many of us don’t fully understand or even care for.
“This Sunday, we will likely experience an almost seamless change as our phones have the ability to reset the time on their own. I say ‘almost seamless,’ because while this transition is easier for our devices, it is not so for our bodies. Humans are not as simple as winding a watch back or forward or resetting the time on our microwave. The toll this time change has on our bodies and our mind is severe, even when it may not be apparent and can cause health effects like increased depression and even lead to greater risks of heart attack and strokes. So, I’m glad to have the perspective of Dr. Malow on the panel, so we can further examine the impacts changing the clocks has on our bodies and on our mental health.
“We also need to examine the effects Daylight Savings Time has on the economy. In my home state of Florida, the sunshine state I might add, we take our daylight very seriously. A lot of our industries, like travel and tourism, rely on longer days to provide Floridians and tourists with goods and services.
“Simply put, the longer the sun is out in the afternoon, the more consumers will be outside participating in local economies. That’s why I’m pleased we will hear from Lyle Beckwith, Senior Vice President at the National Association of Convenience Stores, so we can learn more about how the change in time impacts the businesses in our great economy.”
