The Texas Public Policy Foundation supports Senate Bill 1717 (2025) and Senate Joint Resolution 63 (2025), introduced by Senator Middleton. These legislative measures propose to rename the “Gulf of Mexico” to the “Gulf of America” within Texas statutes and the Texas Constitution. This paper outlines the rationale behind this proposal, provides historical and geopolitical context, and highlights the economic significance of this body of water to Texas and the United States.
Local Government
Ft. Worth ISD’s New Superintendent Scores Big Payday
In October 2025, Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath notified Fort Worth ISD (FWISD) trustees and administrators that “chronically low levels of support given to students and very low levels of academic performance” had prompted a state takeover of district operations. In support of the intervention, officials provided ample evidence of the obvious problems, like...
May 27, 2026