“We’re not Kaiser Wilhelm’s Germany”: Republican breaks ranks, calls ‘Gulf of America’ bill juvenile

The House of Representatives barely passed a bill to officially change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America.” This move made President Trump’s executive order official. The final vote was 211 to 206, with most Republicans supporting the bill and all Democrats, along with one Republican, voting against it.

Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene introduced the bill, which requires all federal maps, documents, and records to use “Gulf of America” instead of “Gulf of Mexico.” According to the NY Times, it also ordered the Interior Secretary to make sure federal agencies followed the new name. Supporters of the bill called it a patriotic move, saying it shows that America owns and controls the body of water. They pointed out that the U.S. military and Coast Guard protect the Gulf as a reason for the name change.

Representative Don Bacon of Nebraska told CNN, “it just seems juvenile… We’re the United States of America. We’re not Kaiser Wilhelm’s Germany or Napoleon France. We’re better than this. It just sounds like a sophomore thing to do.”

House Republicans pass the Gulf of America bill

However, the bill faced strong pushback from Democrats and one Republican. Republican Bacon compared it to actions taken by authoritarian governments and said America should aim for better behavior.

Democrats mostly called the bill a pointless waste of time and money, especially since the House is having trouble passing other important laws at the same time. They brought up urgent issues like medical debt, affordable housing, and other policies they believe Congress should focus on instead of renaming the Gulf. Many Democrats also mentioned that polls show most people oppose the name change.

The bill’s approval has also worsened the conflict between the White House and the Associated Press. The White House has stopped the AP from covering Oval Office events and Air Force One trips because the news organization keeps using the term “Gulf of Mexico.” This decision has led to legal challenges, and a federal judge has ordered the White House to let the AP back in, saying the ban violates the First Amendment, per NBC.

It is unclear what will happen to the bill in the Senate. Even though Republicans control the Senate, Senate Majority Leader John Thune has not promised to bring the bill up for a vote. Even if it does come up, the bill probably will not get enough Democratic support to pass.