May 8 (UPI) -- In a 211 to 206 vote, the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday approved a measure to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.
The legislative effort follows a recent executive order from the Trump White House renaming the gulf, and the bill now goes to the Senate, where chances for its passage are less certain.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia introduced the measure following an executive order by President Donald Trump in January that directed the Interior Department to "take all appropriate actions to rename the Gulf," and update a database of the official names and geographic landmarks in the United States.
Greene appeared to conflate the name of the gulf with narco-trafficking activity in Mexico. Prior to floor debate, while she was introducing the bill Thursday, she accused House Democrats of "fighting to keep the Gulf of America named the Gulf of Mexico because the cartels are their business partners," Greene said.
"They fight for the cartels so much," she added during floor debate, referring to her Democratic colleagues.
Democrats, and some members of the GOP, have said there are more pressing issues at hand than renaming the Gulf.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., pointed out that there are other factors that stand to have a more important effect on the country than renaming the gulf or other major landmarks.
"What might members of Congress under this temporary Republican majority be debating on the floor today," he asked, rhetorically. "Would it be legislation about the economy? Something about healthcare, anything about Social Security? Perhaps something on public safety, maybe national security measures? Anything to bring to life the American dream for hardworking American taxpayers?
"No," Jeffries added. "What Republicans have decided to spend this entire legislative day doing is to debate a bill to rename the Gulf of Mexico."
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said because executive orders can be overwritten, it is important for Congress to change the officially change the name, and codify it into law.
"We're going to pass Marjorie Taylor Greene's bill to permanently rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America," Johnson said.
Congressional action would prevent a future administration from reversing the name change by executive order.
Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., called the measure "juvenile."
If the measure becomes law, federal agencies would have six months to update federal records and registries.
The bill awaits action in the Senate, where it will be in the hands of Sen. John Thune, R-S.D.
"Does it take an act of Congress? I suppose -- I don't know," Thune said. "I haven't, haven't thought that far ahead and got a lot of other stuff we've got directly in front of us at the moment."
