'Gulf Of America' Vote Passes: See How Your CA Representative Voted

CALIFORNIA — The House passed a bill Thursday renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. The measure also directs federal agencies to update their documents to incorporate the new name.

President Donald Trump already signed an executive order during his first day in office to rename the Gulf. House Republicans are looking to show their support, though it is unclear whether the Senate will go along.

The House bill passed by a vote of 211-206. The CA delegation in the U.S. House of Representatives rejected the proposal.

CA's representatives voted along strict party lines. The Golden State's Republican Congressmen did not issue any statements about their votes, but Democrats took to social media to hammer their counterparts across the aisle.

"Marjorie Taylor Greene’s bill to rename the Gulf of Mexico is a slap in the face to hard-working Americans who want their leaders focused on lowering the cost of living," District 33 Rep. Pete Aguilar (Fontana) tweeted. "I voted against this ridiculous bill."

"This is the Republicans’ priority as they ignore that working families struggle to afford the basics," posted Rep. Judy Chu (Monterey Park). "They could have passed Democrats' bill to put a stop Trump's trade war, but this is what Republicans chose to vote on instead."

Here's how each California representative voted:

• Pete Aguilar (Democratic Party) — No
• Nanette Diaz Barragán (Democratic Party) — No
• Ami Bera (Democratic Party) — No
• Julia Brownley (Democratic Party) — No
• Ken Calvert (Republican Party) — Yes
• Salud O. Carbajal (Democratic Party) — No
• Judy Chu (Democratic Party) — No
• Gilbert Ray Cisneros Jr. (Democratic Party) — No
• J. Luis Correa (Democratic Party) — No
• Jim Costa (Democratic Party) — No
• Mark DeSaulnier (Democratic Party) — No
• Vince Fong (Republican Party) — Yes
• Laura Friedman (Democratic Party) — No
• John Garamendi (Democratic Party) — No
• Robert Garcia (Democratic Party) — No
• Jimmy Gomez (Democratic Party) — No
• Adam Gray (Democratic Party) — No
• Josh Harder (Democratic Party) — No
• Jared Huffman (Democratic Party) — No
• Darrell Issa (Republican Party) — Yes
• Sara Jacobs (Democratic Party) — No
• Sydney Kamlager-Dove (Democratic Party) — No
• Ro Khanna (Democratic Party) — No
• Kevin Kiley (Republican Party) — Yes
• Young Kim (Republican Party) — Yes
• Doug LaMalfa (Republican Party) — Yes
• Mike Levin (Democratic Party) — No
• Sam T. Liccardo (Democratic Party) — No
• Ted Lieu (Democratic Party) — No
• Zoe Lofgren (Democratic Party) — No
• Doris O. Matsui (Democratic Party) — No
• Tom McClintock (Republican Party) — Yes
• Dave Min (Democratic Party) — No
• Kevin Mullin (Democratic Party) — No
• Jay Obernolte (Republican Party) — Yes
• Jimmy Panetta (Democratic Party) — No
• Nancy Pelosi (Democratic Party) — No
• Scott H. Peters (Democratic Party) — No
• Luz M. Rivas (Democratic Party) — No
• Raul Ruiz (Democratic Party) — No
• Linda T. Sánchez (Democratic Party) — No
• Brad Sherman (Democratic Party) — No
• Lateefah Simon (Democratic Party) — No
• Eric Swalwell (Democratic Party) — No
• Mark Takano (Democratic Party) — No
• Mike Thompson (Democratic Party) — No
• Norma J. Torres (Democratic Party) — No
• Derek Tran (Democratic Party) — No
• David G. Valadao (Republican Party) — Yes
• Juan Vargas (Democratic Party) — No
• Maxine Waters (Democratic Party) — No
• George Whitesides (Democratic Party) — No

Trump's order only carries authority within the United States. Mexico, which shares borders with the body of water, as well as other countries and international bodies, do not have to recognize the name change.

Democrats said the vote demonstrated that Republicans are not focusing on the priorities of most Americans. New York Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the House's top Democrat, asked Democrats to vote against this "silly, small-minded and sycophantic piece of legislation."

"It's easy to mock this legislation because it's so inane and embarrassing — and we have," said Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, D-Pennsylvania. "But its very existence and the fact that House Republicans have chosen to waste time and taxpayer dollars to bring it up for a vote, is worth considering."

Republicans said the nomenclature of the Gulf extended back to a time before the U.S. existed and when Spanish influence over Central America and the Caribbean was at its zenith. But now, it is the United States that dominates economic activity in the Gulf.

"In short, this legislation recognizes the strategic influence America has over this geography, not to mention the existing economic, cultural, and commercial might that we passively exert on the Gulf," said Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-North Carolina.

The bill was sponsored by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Georgia, a Trump ally and an influential voice in the Republican conference who wore a red "Make American Great Again" hat during last year's State of the Union address.

"The Gulf of America is one of the most important things we can do this Congress," Greene said, adding that it promotes pride in the country.

The Gulf of Mexico name has endured for more than 400 years.

The GOP leadership in the House promoted the legislation during a news conference earlier in the week.

"The American people are footing the bill to protect and secure the Gulf of America. It's only right that it's named appropriately," said House Republican Conference Chair Lisa McClain of Michigan.

Several Democrats spoke out against the bill on the House floor.

Rep. George Latimer, D-New York, said that "instead of mind-bending tariffs, giveaways to billionaires, and renaming bodies of water, we should be voting on bills that lower costs for the average family."

"No one is clamoring for a newly named body of water," Latimer said. "They want lower grocery bills."

The Associated Press contributed reporting.