U.S. House, including most Florida Representatives, votes for Gulf of America Act

A sign in Speaker Mike Johnson's Office includes the Gulf of America name. Image via X.

The U.S. House just voted to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America. That included most lawmakers from Florida, a state with more than 5,000 miles of coastline fronting the body of water.

The Gulf of America Act (HR 276) ultimately won approval by a narrow 211-206 vote. And U.S. Rep. Jimmy Patronis, a Fort Walton Republican, just sent a letter inviting President Donald Trump to visit the coast for a ribbon-cutting on the Gulf.

“This will be a tremendous economic driver for my district,” Patronis posted on X. “Families across the country will flock to the Florida Panhandle to be the FIRST to enjoy the Gulf of AMERICA!”

The House legislation seeks to codify an executive order from Trump to rename the Gulf. The legislation, sponsored by U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican, requires all federal agencies to update their documents and maps to incorporate the new name.

But it’s unclear if the Senate plans to take up the bill. No companion bill has been filed in the upper chamber of Congress.

The close vote also reflects that the new name hardly boasts broad support. No Democrat supported the measure.

“Republicans have the majority. Instead of improving the lives of hardworking Americans, they’ve prioritized renaming the Gulf of Mexico,” posted U.S. Rep. Darren Soto, a Kissimmee Democrat. “True patriots would spend their time fixing the economy, lowering costs, caring for our veterans and upholding the Constitution.”

U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, a Tampa Democrat and the only Democrat representing a Gulf Coast district, spoke against the bill on the House floor.

“What are Republicans choosing to vote on this week? Renaming the Gulf of Mexico,” she later posted. “Remember, my Gulf Coast neighbors are STILL rebuilding their homes after Hurricanes Helene and Milton — which is now more expensive thanks to Trump’s tariffs. No one cares about Trump’s vanity project when their wallets are strained.”

But others in Florida’s congressional delegation embraced the change. U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, a Longboat Key Republican whose district abuts the Gulf Coast, voiced his own enthusiasm for the change.

“Floridians know that the Gulf is key to our economy and way of life — and it’s time that its name reflected its importance to our nation,” he posted.

While nearly every Republican in Florida’s delegation supported the change, U.S. Reps. Neal Dunn of Panama City and John Rutherford of Jacksonville both missed the vote.

But Dunn, whose district includes plenty of Gulf coastline, made clear he supports the renaming. “Congressman Dunn missed the Gulf of America Act vote due to a previously scheduled medical appointment. He strongly supports the legislation and is excited to make the Gulf’s name change official,” a spokesperson for his office told Florida Politics.

The move by Congress follows actions by several Southern states, including Florida, to pass legislation updating all government documents to parrot the President in renaming the Gulf.

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed new measures in mid-April that would change 92 statutory references in Florida law to refer to the body of water along Florida’s west coast as the new name (HB 575) and put “Gulf of America” in K-12 instructional materials (HB 549).