Tennessee State Senator Bo Watson (R) filed a resolution that encourages educators to use “Gulf of America” and “Mount McKinley” per President Donald Trump’s executive order.
“We most heartily agree with President Trump that ‘the naming of our national treasures … should honor the contribution of visionary and patriotic Americans in our Nation’s rich past,'” the resolution says.
“The renaming of these two natural treasures should be appropriately referenced in our schools,” the filing notes, emphasizing that the General Assembly encourages “teachers, especially our geography teachers, to use the names Gulf of America and Mount McKinley when instructing their students about these natural wonders.”
The resolution has 19 co-sponsors.
Trump’s executive order, called “Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness,” says, “The naming of our national treasures, including breathtaking natural wonders and historic works of art, should honor the contributions of visionary and patriotic Americans in our Nation’s rich past.”
“This order honors President McKinley for giving his life for our great Nation and dutifully recognizes his historic legacy of protecting America’s interests and generating enormous wealth for all Americans,” it adds.
Discussing the Gulf of America, Trump’s order says the area “formerly known as the Gulf of Mexico has long been an integral asset to our once burgeoning Nation and has remained an indelible part of America.”
“The Gulf is also a favorite destination for American tourism and recreation activities. Further, the Gulf is a vital region for the multi-billion-dollar U.S. maritime industry, providing some of the largest and most impressive ports in the world,” the order reads. “The Gulf will continue to play a pivotal role in shaping America’s future and the global economy, and in recognition of this flourishing economic resource and its critical importance to our Nation’s economy and its people, I am directing that it officially be renamed the Gulf of America.”
