(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) A Republican lawmaker has introduced legislation to name certain U.S. coastal waters after former President Donald Trump, who is currently leading in polls ahead of the 2024 presidential election.
Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla., cited Trump’s record during his four years as president as the reason for this significant move.
“I’m honored to introduce legislation that will rename our coastal waters after President Trump and serve as a reminder of his many contributions to our nation for generations to come,” Steube said in a press statement.
“Floridians know the great value of our coastal natural resources and how important it is to have a president who cares about the strength and resilience of our oceans. During his time in office, President Trump took several commendable actions for our oceans as part of his work to make America strong, secure, and economically prosperous,” he added.
The legislation would rename the U.S. exclusive economic zone (EEZ) as the “Donald John Trump Exclusive Economic Zone of the United States.”
According to Steube, the EEZ is the zone where the U.S. and other coastal nations have jurisdiction over natural resources, spanning over 4,383,000 square miles, which is larger than the total U.S. landmass.
At the center of Steube’s proposal are Trump’s four presidential ocean proclamations. In 2018, Trump ordered federal action on ocean science and technology.
In November 2019, he signed a presidential memorandum directing federal agencies to develop a national strategy to map the United States’ EEZ and the Alaskan coastline, aiming to advance the nation’s understanding of oceans and coastlines.
In December 2020, Trump signed three pieces of legislation benefiting oceans: the National Sea Grant College Program Amendments Act of 2020, the Digital Coast Act and the Save Our Seas 2.0 Act.
