Lawmakers in the House are expected to cast their votes Thursday on a measure that would officially change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America,” solidifying President Donald Trump’s executive order that launched the initiative on his first day back in office, according to Spectrum News.
The legislation, put forward by Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, a staunch Trump supporter, mandates that all references by federal agencies to the large coastal waterway—spanning from Florida to Texas—be updated to reflect the new name. This would impact a wide range of materials including official laws, maps, regulations, and federal documents.
The body of water in question touches five U.S. states—Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas—before extending further south to the coasts of Mexico and Cuba.
Under the terms of the proposed bill, the Secretary of the Interior would be tasked with overseeing the renaming process. Federal departments would have a 180-day deadline to revise and reissue any documentation or data that still uses “Gulf of Mexico.”
Trump first unveiled the renaming initiative through an executive order signed on his inauguration day in January. That order instructed the Interior Department to “take all appropriate actions” to enact the change. If passed, this bill would formally enshrine the change in law, preventing future presidents from undoing it with a counter-order.
“NEXT WEEK, my Gulf of America Act will make its way to the House Floor!” Greene announced on X (formerly Twitter) over the weekend. “It’s time to codify President Trump’s executive order into law. It’s OUR gulf, let’s make the name permanent!”
The bill cleared its initial hurdle Monday afternoon, when it was reviewed and advanced by the House Rules Committee. It will now proceed to the full House for debate and a vote.
When Trump originally signed the executive order, the White House referred to the Gulf as “an integral asset to our once burgeoning Nation and has remained an indelible part of America.”
Following that directive, several companies and platforms began adjusting their terminology. For example, Google Maps now shows “Gulf of America” to U.S.-based users, though viewers in Mexico still see “Gulf of Mexico.” In other countries, the displayed name varies depending on local language settings and regional data sources.
However, the change has not gone unchallenged. The Associated Press has chosen not to adopt the new naming standard, leading to tensions with the White House. The news agency maintains that it will continue using “Gulf of Mexico” in its reporting in order to ensure clarity for its global readership.
In its official statement, the AP explained that it is sticking with the traditional name because it remains the internationally recognized designation for the body of water.
During a Cabinet meeting last week, the Trump administration made a public show of its dedication to the initiative. Cabinet members sat at a long table, with each seat marked by a cap emblazoned with the slogan “Gulf of America.”
{Matzav.com}