The United States House of Representatives on Thursday passed a bill to permanently rename the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America,” following an earlier executive order by President Donald Trump in January. The bill, introduced by Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, was approved by a narrow 211-206 vote. Greene stated the goal was to enshrine the name change in federal law to prevent any future reversals, asserting, “It’s our gulf. The rightful name is the Gulf of America, and it’s what the entire world should refer to it as.”

The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration. If passed, the renaming would apply only to US federal documents and materials, with no obligation for Mexico or other countries to adopt the new terminology.

The proposal sparked heated debate in the House, with significant criticism from Democratic representatives. Some Republicans also voiced opposition; Representative Don Bacon of Nebraska called the bill “juvenile” and argued that the US should avoid symbolic gestures that echo the imperial tendencies of “Kaiser Wilhelm’s Germany or Napoleon’s France.”

The renaming push reflects ongoing political and cultural battles over national identity and symbolism. While supporters see it as a statement of sovereignty, opponents view it as unnecessary and politically motivated.