As both a physician and a lifelong farmer, I have witnessed firsthand the impact that changing the clocks twice a year has on our health and daily lives. I've seen thousands of patients struggle with fatigue, insomnia, and mental health when the time changes. This is not just anecdotal; numerous studies have shown that daylight saving time (DST) changes correlate with increased rates of heart attacks, strokes, and accidents on the road due to disrupted sleep cycles and biological rhythms.

Here's my big three reasons for supporting this bill: 

• Mental health: We need more daylight to help combat depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders. After thirty years as a family physician, I’ve seen thousands of patients suffering when darkness falls at 5 p.m. The lack of light takes a real toll on mental wellbeing.
• Farming: People often say farmers need standard time, but as someone who’s been farming for thirty years, I can tell you that’s just not true anymore. That might have been the case a hundred years ago, but not today. We work with the sun, not the clock.
• Children's Health: Children need daylight after school so they can play, move, and just be kids (adults need that too!). We’re facing a growing mental health crisis among young people, and access to sunlight and outdoor time makes a real difference. 

Winners travel to mental health and this is critical to the mental health of our country. We need to act now.

The Sunshine Protection Act, which advocates making DST the permanent default, presents a concrete and actionable solution to these pressing concerns. Right now, this bill (H.R. 139, S. 29) is sitting idle on the desks of committees in both the House and Senate.

Sign this petition to encourage Congress to move the bill along and finally pass the bi-partisan Sunshine Protection Act. You can also contact your respective representative below: 

• United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
  Republican: (202) 224-1251
  Democratic: (202) 224-0411
• House Committee on Energy and Commerce
  Main: (202) 225-3641