In a new Congress, Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama again wants to eliminate the changing of clocks in the spring and the fall.

A bipartisan group of lawmakers are co-sponsoring legislation introduced by Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, to make daylight saving time permanent across most of the U.S., including Alabama. The proposal would end standard daylight time – which occurs from November to March and, at its most extreme, has Alabama in darkness by 5 p.m. some days in December.

Rubio summed up his position on the issue in a statement Thursday by saying, “This ritual of changing clocks twice a year is stupid.”

The legislation is known as the Sunshine Protection Act and Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Florida, has introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.

The Alabama state legislature in 2021 passed a bill — signed by Gov. Kay Ivey — to make daylight savings time uniform throughout the year but Congress needs to pass a law before it can go into effect. More than a dozen other states have passed bills or resolutions in support of permanent daylight saving time.

The Senate passed the bill last year by unanimous consent but it failed to come up for a vote in what was then the Democratic-controlled House. Republicans now hold the majority in the House.

“Alabamians have overwhelmingly expressed their support for the Sunshine Protection Act, and I promised them I’d continue pushing to do away with the outdated practice of adjusting our clocks twice a year,” Tuberville said in a statement. “It’s time for America to move forward and stop falling back. Congress should listen to the people and make daylight saving time permanent.”

Joining Senators Tuberville and Rubio in introducing the legislation are Sens. James Lankford, R-Okla.; Alex Padilla, D-Calif.; Ed Markey, D-Mass.; Bill Hagerty R-Tenn.; Tina Smith R-Minn.; Rick Scott, R-Fla.; Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss.; Rand Paul, R-Ky.; Ron Wyden, R-Ore.; and Martin Heinrich, D-N.M.