Iowa Bill Would Require Schools to Refer to Mt. McKinley, Gulf of America

Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America name changing concept of ocean written on signboard with sky in the backdrop.

Photo: Muhammad Farhad / iStock / Getty Images

(Des Moines, IA) -- A bill codifying the requirement for Iowa schools to refer to Mt. McKinley and the Gulf of America is past its first hurdle. House Study Bill 97 passed a subcommittee meeting Monday morning, but leaders say they want to continue conversations in the full committee meeting.

State Rep. Robert Henderson (R-Sioux City) chaired the subcommittee meeting.

"The geographic name for the gulf would be more appropriate to be called the Gulf of America," Henderson says. "Only because about half of that gulf is bordered by the United States and the other half is bordered by Mexico. Both of which are in either North America or Central America."

Legislators in the meeting mentioned that the federal Department of the Interior already renamed the Alaskan mountain, and some opponents argue it's not useful to create these mandates at the state level.

State Rep. Mary Madison (D-West Des Moines) did not sign off on the bill's advancement.

"I think it's unnecessary," Madison says. "It's an additional cost. It's a political move that doesn't take into consideration the people of both places...I don't think we have to jump every time somebody wants to do something."

The bill goes back to the House Education Committee for further review.


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