Introduction
The second article from 7/16/2026 focused on the so-titled “Sunshine Protection Act of 2025”—a bill to enforce daylight saving time year-round—and asked if history will repeat itself. The federal government cannot legislate the protection of sunshine nor the saving of daylight. If the bill becomes law, it would permanently keep the clock forward one hour.
This follow-up entry to my previous article centers on my correspondence with Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn, who is currently running for governor, and Tennessee Representative Tim Burchett. Tennessee Senator Bill Hagerty did not directly respond to my online message.
Exchange with Senator Blackburn
After publishing the second article from 7/16/2026, I sent online emails to Senators Blackburn (https://www.blackburn.senate.gov/email-me) and Hagerty (https://www.hagerty.senate.gov/email-me/). The subject line for both was “The 'Sunshine Protection Act of 2025.'” Addressing each senator by last name, I submitted the following to both:
Greetings. Your conservative positions in the Senate have my support.
Please do not vote in favor of the “Sunshine Protection Act of 2025,” recently passed in the House. My second article today, The “Sunshine Protection Act of 2025”—Will History Repeat Itself? (published 7-16-2026; article #567), Appalachian Irishman, explains why we don't want to make the same mistake that was made in 1974. The article references three previous articles about so-called daylight saving time.
Regards,
Marion William Ferrell
As stated previously, Senator Hagerty has not yet replied directly. On Friday, July 24, I received the following email response from Senator Blackburn:
Subject: Responding to your message
Date: 24 July 2026, 10:05:07 AM
From: Office of U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn
<donotreply@blackburn.senate.gov>
To: Ferrell516@comcast.net
July 24, 2026
Dear Marion,
Thank you for contacting my office regarding daylight saving time. I always appreciate hearing from Tennesseans.
“Daylight saving” is the practice of advancing clocks to leverage the longer daylight available during summer, so that darkness falls at a later clock time. This practice became common during World War II and was codified into federal law in the United States in 1966.
While later sunsets are a pleasant and helpful feature of the summertime, I see no reason for that not to be the case year-round. That is why I am an original cosponsor of S.29, the Sunshine Protection Act, introduced by Senator Rick Scott (R-FL). This bill would make daylight saving time the new permanent standard time, while noting that states with areas exempt from daylight saving time may choose the standard time for those areas.
On July 14, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed an identical version of the Sunshine Protection Act. President Trump proudly supports this legislation and has called daylight saving time a “ridiculous, twice-yearly production.”
Sincerely,
Marsha Blackburn
United States Senator
Later the same day, I replied to Senator Blackburn by postal mail as follows:
Senator Marsha Blackburn
357 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Senator Blackburn:
Thank you for your email response earlier today to my initial online email on July 16 concerning so-called daylight saving time.
Unfortunately, your response did not consider the mistake made in 1974, when permanent so-called daylight saving time was briefly in effect. Further, your response did not consider the medical sources, suggesting yearlong standard time would be better than annual daylight saving time. Finally, your reply did not account for the majority of Americans who prefer permanent standard time instead of year-round daylight saving time.
If so-called daylight saving time becomes permanent, let us see what happens during winter when children arrive at school in darkness and workers arrive at work in the dark. Another backlash, as in 1974, will be the case.
Finally, President Trump is simply wrong in advocating for permanent so-called daylight saving time. The House of Representatives was wrong on July 14 when it passed the so-called “Sunshine Protection Act of 2025.” Please, do not be wrong by voting in favor of the bill.
With regards,
Marion W. Ferrell
I actually watched the postal carrier take the mail from our mailbox. If Senator Blackburn replies to my postal letter, I plan to publish an article about it. If I don't publish another follow-up article, the senator did not respond.
Exchange with Representative Burchett
As the second article from 7/16/2026 mentioned, Representative Tim Burchett had already voted in favor of the bill. Consequently, I did not reach out to him after publishing the article.
On Monday afternoon, July 20, however, I received the following unsolicited email from Representative Burchett:
Subject: UPDATE: Burchett Votes to Lock the Clock
Date: Mon., 20 Jul 2026, 3:49:18 PM
From: Rep. Burchett
<repburchett@mail8.housecommunications.gov>
Reply-To:
repburchett+newsletter@mail8.housecommunications.gov
To: Marion W. Ferrell <ferrell516@comcast.net>
Salutation,
Knowing of our shared interest in ending the outdated practice of changing our clocks twice a year, I want to update you on my work in the U.S. House of Representatives to make daylight saving time permanent.
Like you, I believe Tennesseans should not have to disrupt their schedules every spring and fall simply because of an unnecessary clock change. Families, workers, schools, and businesses deserve greater consistency throughout the year.
On July 14, 2026, I voted in favor of H.R. 139, the Sunshine Protection Act, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives. This legislation would make daylight saving time permanent and finally end the practice of “springing forward” and “falling back.”
Tennessee is ready to lock the clock. In 2019, the Tennessee General Assembly passed a law supporting permanent daylight saving time once authorized by Congress. My vote brings Tennessee one step closer to making that change a reality.
Permanent daylight-saving time would provide more usable daylight in the evening, giving families more time together after work and school and allowing Tennesseans to enjoy more of our great state. It would also provide greater certainty for businesses and eliminate the disruption caused by changing the clocks twice each year.
H.R. 139 has been sent to the U.S. Senate for consideration. I am proud to have helped pass this commonsense legislation, and I urge the Senate to act so President Trump can sign it into law.
It is an honor to serve you in Congress. Please know I will continue working on practical solutions that make everyday life simpler for Tennesseans. If you’d like to stay updated on this and other issues, sign up for my newsletter at https://burchett.house.gov/contact/newsletter.
Sincerely,
Tim Burchett
Member of Congress
burchett.house.gov
Washington, DC: 1122 Longworth HOB, Washington, DC
20515; 202-225-5435
Knoxville: 800 Market Street, Suite 110, Knoxville, TN 37902;
865-523-3772
Maryville: 331 Court Street, Maryville, TN 37804;
865-984-5464
Later that afternoon, I replied online at https://burchett.house.gov/address_authentication?form=/contact/email-me as follows:
Dear Representative Burchett:
We share an interest in not changing clocks biannually. Our interests, however, part on the choice of permanent standard time or daylight saving time.
Standard time, not daylight saving time, should become permanent. We do not need to repeat the history from 1974.
I encourage you to read my most recent article, The “Sunshine Protection Act of 2025”—Will History Repeat Itself? (published 7-16-2026; article #567), Appalachian Irishman. The conclusion references and directs to three previous articles on the topic.
Before voting in favor, I wish you had studied the history of the unpopular change to yearlong so-called daylight saving time in 1974.
Regards,
Marion W. Ferrell (M. Fearghail, pen name, on my website)
On Friday, July 24, Representative Burchett emailed a reply to my above response to his unsolicited email. In it, he understood my position and cordially suggested that I share my opinion with the senators from Tennessee, which I had already done.
Conclusion
Fortunately, this 76th entry in the Poly-Ticks Topic Section is being put to bed. It simply shares my follow-up to the previously mentioned second article from 7/16/2026.
A permanent switch to so-called daylight saving time is of little concern to my wife and me since we are both retired. We will accustom ourselves to the sun rising an hour later in winter. I wonder how parents of school-aged children and working adults will react once they realize they will be at school or work before sunrise.
Will the events of 1974 repeat themselves? We will see.
2 comments:
Excellent follow-up post. At least you are trying. Standard time should be all year long.
Thank you, Anonymous, for reading and for your comment, 14 minutes after publication!
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