Senate committee defies Trump; rejects Gulf of America name change

April 29, 2025 – MONTGOMERY, AL - An Alabama Senate committee failed to give a favorable report to legislation that would have changed the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. That bill had 55 cosponsors in the House but failed when Senate Republicans on the Senate Committee on County and Municipal Government sided with Senate Democrats in committee to kill the bill.

House Bill 247 (HB247) was sponsored by State Representative David Standridge (R-Hayden).

President Donald J. Trump (R) changed the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America by executive order. Federal agencies are already implementing the name change at the federal level.

House Bill 247 (HB247) would have adopted this name change by the state of Alabama as well as the cities and county governments within the state.

According to the synopsis that bill would, "Rename the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America"; and to require all state and local entities and all employees of those entities to observe and implement the name change, where practicable."

State Senator Linda Coleman Madison (D-Birmingham) said, "I have one question: Why?"

Standridge said that President Trump had passed the change by executive order and that federal agencies were already implementing the change. Florida has passed this already. It has passed one House in Texas, and Louisiana is in the process of passing this.

Sen. Coleman-Madison said, "We are changing history and trying not to give credit to a population of people. That name has a history."

Sen. Merika Coleman (D-Birmingham) asked, "Do you have any idea how much this is going to cost the taxpayer?"

"That is unknown," Standridge answered. "Compliance is not required if that means that it would place a financial or operational burden on that entity or the state."

The vote to give HB247 a favorable report ended in a TIE. As such it did not receive a favorable report from the committee and appears dead for this session.

Editorial Note: The committee met the next day and voted to bring this bill back up. On the second time the committee voted to give it a favorable report. It is now in position for the Senate to consider it before the legislative session ends. Tuesday will be Day 28 of the 2025 Alabama Regular Session.