Bill enshrining Gulf of America name change into law advances to full House vote

A Republican-led House panel advanced legislation Monday that would make the Gulf of America name change permanent. The House Rules Committee voted along party lines to refer the “Gulf of America Act,” introduced by Rep.Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), to the full House floor for a vote, which is expected to take place later this week. The act codifies President Trump’s executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America, and directs federal agencies to update their documents and maps accordingly to incorporate the new name.“Despite the claims … that Republicans are wasting time, the truth is that we’re moving forward with legislation that defends American interests,” House Rules Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC) said in her opening remarks at Monday’s hearing. “In short, this legislation 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,” Foxx added.The congresswoman argued that Democratic lawmakers opposed to the name change can’t find “a single, concrete data point” indicating that calling the body of water the Gulf of America has been “detrimental to the American people.”“Having the realities of the Gulf’s link to America reflected in government records makes sense,” Foxx continued.

“We shouldn’t let certain allergic reactions to decisions made by the Trump Administration stand in the way of good public policy.” “Instead, we should support this decision and codify it, demonstrating our Article I authority.” Democratic lawmakers tried to attach several amendments to the bill in an effort to thwart the legislation, such as one that would have restricted oil and gas drilling permits in the Gulf, but none passed. “Democrats are so overtaken with Trump Derangement Syndrome and obsessed with obstructing the President’s agenda that they will always put America Last,” a...