Jacob Ogles
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).
13 comments
Larry Gillis, Director-at-Large, Libertarian Party of Florida
May 8, 2025 at 12:50 pm
THE POSEUR-IN-CHIEF, AND HIS FRIENDS.
Please. This is Kindergartener-level political posturing, playing to the most-challenged elements of the galleries. Don’t you have better things to do, something more ennobling?
Once the fog clears in your heads, please vote Libertarian.
Oscar
May 8, 2025 at 1:43 pm
Sure, vote for a party with zero credibility and no track record…. Your comment illustrates perfectly why Libertarians have gotten 1 electoral vote over its 50 year history. Yes, just one. And it’s won zero seats in the House or Senate. Talk about an exercise in futility.
June Genis
May 9, 2025 at 12:28 pm
Libertarians have an extensive track record at local levels but since ballot access is controlled by whichever major party controls that state’s legislature, neither of whom want any competition, they have made it harder and harder with each of those successess for anyone other than a D or R to even get on the ballot. You can’t get elected if no one can vote for you. We need better ballot access laws and Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) for any independent or non-major party candidate to have a substantial impact.
CW
May 8, 2025 at 1:00 pm
What a waste of time and resources
Oscar
May 8, 2025 at 1:33 pm
And just what was renaming mountains and military bases as well as destroying historic monuments? Just another idiotic progressive bedwetter.
Foghorn Leghorn
May 8, 2025 at 1:38 pm
Right on Oscar. So true.
Michael K
May 8, 2025 at 7:15 pm
He congratulates herself. Again.
ScienceBLVR
May 8, 2025 at 1:05 pm
$tupid is as $tupid does
Run, Forest, Run…
Oscar
May 8, 2025 at 1:44 pm
Clearly Forest was a democrat, like most emotionally and mentally challenged folks.
Michael K
May 8, 2025 at 7:15 pm
The Senate will reject this nonsense.
Ocean Joe
May 9, 2025 at 9:16 pm
At least he didnt try to name it after himself.
Michael K
May 10, 2025 at 8:57 am
Just wait. His hostile takeover of the Kennedy center will not end well.
✒ + 1.850505 BTC.GET - https://graph.org/Ticket--58146-05-02?hs=57351fdcd085e0dd807219cac55925a4& ✒
May 11, 2025 at 8:04 am
p7g4d4
Comments are closed.