When has the U.S. Senate ever moved faster?
In less than 30 seconds Tuesday afternoon, lawmakers unanimously consented to make daylight saving time permanent. The legislation never even came up for debate. Senators were apparently cranky enough about losing an hour of sleep last weekend to basically say they’d had enough.
In one sense, reform is welcome. Changing clocks twice a year — a policy adopted during World War I to conserve electricity — is disruptive to people’s sleep and health. It’s been associated with a rise in heart attacks, strokes and mood disorders; a spike in morning car crashes; and widespread discomfort, whining and unhappiness. By one estimate, the time shift costs the economy some $434 million annually.
