ATLANTA — Georgia U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s bill to rename the Gulf of Mexico made it through the House of Representatives on Thursday.
If made law, it would change the name of the body of water to the Gulf of America for “any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper, or other record.”
Greene took to X to praise the move, saying: “Our military defends its waters, our business owners support its economy, and the American people fund its protection. This is one of President Trump’s many executive orders that needs to be codified into law.”
🚨 BREAKING: The Gulf of America Act has PASSED the House! 🇺🇸
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) May 8, 2025
OUR military defends its waters, OUR business owners support its economy, & the AMERICAN PEOPLE fund its protection. 🌊🦅
This is one of President Trump’s MANY executive orders that needs to be codified into law.
I… pic.twitter.com/VmuU331KHs
Only one lawmaker broke party ranks on the measure. Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb. joined with Democrats in voting against the bill.
The bill was met with support by North Carolina Rep. Virginia Fox, saying Greene’s bill “recognizes the strategic influence America has over this geography, not to mention the existing economic, cultural, and commercial might that we passively exert on the gulf.”
Democrats on the other hand, called the move useless.
“Prices are going up. People’s 401 Ks are being decimated, and they want to rename the Gulf of Mexico, which isn’t even going to work. The rest of the world is going to call it the Gulf of Mexico,” Florida Democrat Rep. Maxwell Frost said.
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Colorado Rep. Brittany Pettersen called the bill “insanity.”
“I can’t believe this is where we are spending our time,” the Democrat said.
President Donald Trump already signed an executive order during his first day in office to rename the Gulf.
The body of water has shared borders between the United States and Mexico. Trump’s order only carries authority within the U.S.
Mexico, as well as other countries and international bodies, do not have to recognize the name change.
The legislation now heads to the Senate for consideration.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
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