Gulf Of America Bill Generates Controversy on Floor of Alabama House
HB247 debate split along party lines
Thursday’s Alabama House floor debate on HB247, the Gulf of America Act, generated a fair amount of controversy along party lines/
HB247 would require all State and local entities, and all employees of those entities, to observe and implement the name change from ‘Gulf of Mexico’ to ‘Gulf of America.’ HB247 would make Alabama compliant with President Trump’s Executive Order (EO) of January 20, 2025.
HB247 was presented on the floor by State Representative David Standridge (R-Hayden), who stated the bill would recognize the President’s EO and codify this for State purposes.
Rep. Barbara Drummond (D-Mobile) questioned whether or not the name change would be beneficial to the Gulf, and whether or not this bill was an appropriate use of the House’s time.
“My first question is, will it help with tourism? Will it put more sand on our beaches? Will it help us recruit more folks to come to South Alabama?” Drummond asked. “How will it help tourism when we have to spend probably millions of dollars rebranding ourselves? Mobile is an old historic city that it's been under French rule, Spanish rule, we have managed to coalise our history around that.”
“Will renaming the Gulf of Mexico help you to open any rural hospitals in your area? That's how important this is to you? Will it help us to do anything about healthcare in the State of Alabama? I'm not trying to beat on you. We’re spending precious time with this important body of policy makers and we're focusing on things that are not going to move Alabama forward,” Drummond went on.
“I live in South Alabama. We send a lot of money to the State of Alabama. We have a lot of contributions from the Port to the State of Alabama. That is all on the Gulf of Mexico. You can't stand there and tell me that how much money we’re going to have to spend to rebrand this new name that really is not beneficial, would you admit? It's a name. It’s not benefiting anything. It won't open rural hospitals. It won't help us to bring down the cost of eggs, those eggs that are being shipped through the Port of Mobile. It won't help Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz, all of those that are shipping automobile parts. It's not gonna help us to bring down the cost of an automobile, right? What would you propose we do in South Alabama to make this beneficial for us?” Drummond asked.
Rep. Standridge responded that he did believe that it would be beneficial, and that he had spoken with numerous business owners on the Gulf who were excited about the change.
Rep. Reed Ingram (R-Pike Road) rose in support of HB247, pointing out that name changes for bases and other institutions is commonplace. “There are 23 countries in North America, This can say that were united in North America, and I can see it being good for everybody in North America.”
Rep. Kenyatté Hassell (D-Montgomery) rose to say “With this bill, I don’t even think we should set the precedent. If we get another President who wants to change it back to the Gulf of Mexico, and it’s an EO, are we going to change the name back to the Gulf of Mexico in another four years? The name ‘Gulf of Mexico’ carries deep historical and cultural significance. It reflects the rich history of the region and the Native people who live along it. Renaming the body of water could overlook and diminish the legacy that shapes our relationship with this region. The Gulf has its own identity, and renaming it would strip away its unique character.”
Rep. Craig Lipscomb (R-Gadsden) spoke as an advocate for the bill, addressing the the bill as it reflects towards national sovereignty, economic strength and national security interests. “The Gulf is the cornerstone of our nation’s infrastructure,” Lipscomb said. “It contributes approximately 15% of the United States’ crude oil production and 2% of its natural gas production. This energy production is vital to our national economy and national security. Porta along the Gulf Coast, such as Mobile, are among the busiest in the nation.
“They handle significant portions of our exports and our imports, supporting hundreds of thousands of jobs. There’s a strategic importance to the Gulf. Beyond economics, the Gulf is a strategic asset. The U.S. Navy, the Coast Guard, they all actively patrol these waters to safeguard against drug trafficking and other illicit activities.
“Symbolically, names carry weight and significance, and that’s what we need to be focusing on,” Lipscomb continued. “The term ‘Gulf of Mexico’ does not accurately represent the current geopolitical and economic realities. Renaming it the Gulf of America would acknowledge the United States’ predominant role in this region and reinforce our national identity. In light of the Gulf’s crucial importance to our nation’s security, economy and identity, it is fitting that we rename it the Gulf of America.”
The House went into recess to allow for a scheduled Joint Session to award the Legislative Medal of Honor to Deputy Brad Bush, but later returned to pass HB247 by a vote of 72–26, with 1 abstention.
Florida recently became the first State to pass a bill similar to HB247. The first recorded use of the term ‘Gulf of Mexico was in 1550, and has had multiple names through the years. As this article went to press, Google Maps listed it as the “Gulf of America.”
In deference to Rep. Drummond’s comment on the use of the House's time on this matter, prior to the recess more than 19 minutes was consumed by the floor debate on HB247. Notably, the above comments represent only a small portion of the total verbiage produced during the debate.
