• The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a bill renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America."
• The bill, introduced by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, passed with a narrow vote of 211-206.
• Democrats criticized the measure as wasting time on a "silly" and "small-minded" legislative agenda.
• Should the Senate approve it, all federal documents would be required to use the new name.
• The White House has expressed strong support for the renaming effort.

The U.S. House of Representatives voted Thursday to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America." The legislation, referred to as the “Gulf of America Act,” was sponsored by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and passed with a narrow margin of 211-206 votes. While the bill reflects President Trump's earlier executive order, its future in the Senate remains uncertain due to the need for bipartisan support, according to ABC News, CBS News, The Hill, and Los Angeles Times.

Introduced by Rep. Greene, the bill mandates all federal agencies to update their maps and documents to reflect the name change within a set time frame. Supporters argue that it is appropriate, stating, "The American people are footing the bill to protect and secure the Gulf of America. It's only right that it’s named appropriately," as expressed by Rep. Lisa McClain. However, the measure has drawn criticism from Democrats who feel it distracts from pressing legislative issues facing the country, as noted by India Times and Anadolu Agency.

Critics, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, have condemned the legislation as trivial, stating during the vote, "What Republicans have decided to spend this entire legislative day doing is to debate a bill to rename the Gulf of Mexico.” The lack of support from some Republicans, such as Rep. Don Bacon, who called the effort "juvenile," indicates divisions within the party regarding the focus on this symbolic legislation, according to CBS News and The Hill.

Although Republicans tout the bill as aligning with Trump's "America First" agenda, it remains to be seen how it will fare in a Senate that requires at least seven Democratic votes for passage. Many Democrats have labeled it inappropriate, suggesting that Congress should address more pressing issues like healthcare and economic concerns instead, reflected in the comments of Rep. George Latimer.