The House of Representatives approves bill to rename the Gulf of Mexico ‘Gulf of America’

The Republican-controlled US House of Representatives passed a bill Thursday seeking to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to "Gulf of America," moving forward in codifying an executive order issued by President Donald Trump.

The initiative, led by Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, passed with 211 votes in favor and 206 opposed, and now moves to the Republican-majority Senate for consideration.

Details of the bill

The bill, known as the "Gulf of America Act" and sponsored by Greene, a close Trump ally, requires all federal agencies to update maps, documents and official materials to reflect the new name.

The move aligns with the executive order signed by Trump on Jan. 20, titled "Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness," which ordered the Gulf of Mexico to be renamed "Gulf of America."

For their part, federal agencies, including the US Coast Guard, have already begun using the new term, although other countries, such as Mexico and Cuba, have not recognized the change.

Greene defended the bill in January, arguing, “The American people are footing the bill to protect and secure the maritime waterways for commerce to be conducted. Our US armed forces protect the area from any military threats from foreign countries.” 

Reactions and divisions

The bill's approval has generated controversy both inside and outside the Republican Party. Republican Representative Don Bacon of Nebraska was the lone Republican to vote against it along with Democrats, stating that the measure "just seems juvenile" and "just sounds like a sophomore thing to do.”

Bacon argued, "We’re the United States of America. We’re not Kaiser Wilhelm’s Germany or Napoleon France,” he said, adding, “We’re better than this."

For their part, Democrats have sharply criticized the initiative as a waste of time and resources.

Democratic Representative Mary Gay Scanlon of Pennsylvania described it as "maybe the dumbest bill brought to the floor” during her time in Congress, adding: "With all the important work this Congress should be tackling, the speaker and House Republicans have chosen to indulge the president in a whim that the American public does not support.”

International arena

In the international arena, the president of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, has rejected the proposal, ironizing that the southwestern United States could be called "Mexican America" given that territories such as Texas and Florida were part of Mexico in the past.

Sheinbaum highlighted that the name "Gulf of Mexico" is globally recognized and has historical roots dating back to the 16th century.

Justification and support

Trump's executive order, issued on his first day as president, justified the change by arguing that “the Gulf is also a favorite destination for American tourism and recreation activities and a "vital region for the multi-billion-dollar US maritime industry, providing some of the largest and most impressive ports in the world.”

The initiative has been supported by Republican lawmakers such as Senator Nick DiCeglie and Rep. Juan Carlos Porras in Florida, where Governor Ron DeSantis already enacted two state laws (HB 549 and HB 575) in April to implement the change in educational documents and materials.

Texas, meanwhile, also moved forward on a similar measure, with the state Senate passing Senate Bill 1717 on April 27.

Challenges

The name change, while official in the United States following approval by the Board on Geographic Names (BGN), only takes effect nationally and is not recognized internationally.

For a global change, it would require the approval of Mexico, Cuba and bodies such as the International Hydrographic Organization and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

The bill now awaits review in the Senate, where the Republican majority could facilitate its approval.