Final Senate committee OKs Gulf of America bill, ships it to Senate floor

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The Senate Fiscal Policy Committee has cleared a measure (SB 608) to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America, which would align the name with President Donald Trump’s executive order doing the same.

Already, Google Maps and Apple Maps have reflected the name change for U.S. users, while users in other countries see both names 

“By renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America, we are putting America first and honoring American greatness,” said Sen. Nick DiCeglie, the bill’s sponsor. “In communities up and down Florida’s Gulf Coast, we are incredibly prideful to say that we live in a paradise along the coast of the Gulf of America.”

The bill would change 92 statutory references in Florida law to refer to the body of water along Florida’s west coast as the Gulf of America. It cleared its first committee stop, Community Affairs, in mid-March.

An identical House version (HB 575) from Rep. Tyler Sirois is on the House special order calendar for Thursday after clearing two committees.

The legislation would comply with Trump’s Executive Order 14172, called “Restoring Names that Honor American Greatness.”

Trump ordered the federal government to “take all appropriate actions to rename as the ‘Gulf of America’ the U.S. Continental Shelf area bounded on the northeast, north, and northwest by the State of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida and extending to the seaward boundary with Mexico and Cuba in the area formerly named as the Gulf of Mexico.”

DiCeglie’s bill references the President’s directive, which says the move recognizes the “importance of the body of water to the United States.” Senate leadership is on board.

“American exceptionalism matters, and it’s important that we recognize the fact that America is the greatest country in the history of the world,” Senate President Ben Albritton said. “As patriots, we have a duty to honor our country’s greatness, and I am so thankful that President Trump has highlighted what is a fantastic opportunity to do just that and recognize the Gulf of America.”

Gov. Ron DeSantis already pushed the new name in an executive order (EO 25-13) as last month’s Winter storm approached the state.

The name change became official nationally in early February as Trump declared Feb. 9 “Gulf of America Day.”

If passed, the changes to Florida law would take effect July 1.

Sen. Joe Gruters is carrying a bill (SB 1058) in the upper chamber that would implement the name change in Florida public schools, requiring School Boards to “adopt and acquire” materials using the new name to “honor American greatness.”

It is awaiting second reading in the Senate.