AASM celebrates introduction of the Sunshine for Our Kids Act to establish permanent standard time

U.S. Representatives Mary Gay Scanlon and Pat Harrigan introduced the bipartisan legislation

DARIEN, Ill., July 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The American Academy of Sleep Medicine applauds today’s introduction in the U.S. House of Representatives of the Sunshine for Our Kids Act, legislation that would establish permanent standard time nationwide and help protect the health, safety, and well-being of individuals across the country.

The AASM thanks Pennsylvania Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon and North Carolina Rep. Pat Harrigan for their leadership in introducing this bipartisan legislation and for recognizing that the nation’s time policy should support healthy sleep, safer mornings, and better learning conditions for students. By prioritizing standard time, the Sunshine for Our Kids Act reflects the scientific consensus that morning light is essential for aligning the body’s internal clock and promoting alertness during the school day. Standard time also has a proven track record of supporting public health, improving student performance, and enhancing economic productivity.

“Permanent standard time is the healthier choice for all Americans,” said AASM President Dr. Fariha Abbasi-Feinberg, a board-certified sleep medicine physician in Fort Myers, Florida. “We are grateful to Representatives Scanlon and Harrigan for championing legislation that puts health and safety first and helps ensure that mornings are better aligned with natural light and human circadian rhythms.”

The AASM has long supported the adoption of permanent standard time because it best aligns with human circadian biology, as noted in its position statement. In contrast, permanent daylight saving time would delay morning light exposure, making it harder for children and adolescents to wake, learn, and travel safely to school during dark winter mornings.

The Sunshine for Our Kids Act offers Congress a commonsense, science-based path forward: ending the disruptive twice-yearly clock changes while choosing the time standard that best supports public health. The AASM and its partners in the Coalition for Permanent Standard time urge lawmakers to support the bill and work toward national policies that prioritize public health and safety.

For more information about daylight saving time and to find additional resources from the AASM about sleep disorders, treatments, and sleep health, visit SleepEducation.org.

About the Coalition for Permanent Standard Time 

Established in 2023, the Coalition for Permanent Standard Time is a dedicated group of diverse organizations and individuals that support the elimination of biannual clock change in the United States through the restoration of permanent standard time. The founding organizational members are the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, National Sleep Foundation, Save Standard Time, Sleep Research Society, and Society for Research on Biological Rhythms (ditchDST.com).

About the American Academy of Sleep Medicine 

Established in 1975, the AASM is a medical association that advances sleep care and enhances sleep health to improve lives. The AASM membership includes more than 9,500 physicians, scientists, and other health care professionals who help people who have sleep disorders. The AASM also accredits 2,300 sleep centers that are providing the highest quality of sleep care across the country (aasm.org).

Position Statements