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.
Higher Education
Foreign Interests Still Targeting Texas Universities
During a recent Texas Senate Higher Education Committee hearing, lawmakers asked an important question: Is Texas doing enough to protect our universities from hostile foreign influence? The executive director of the newly established Texas Research Security Council, Kevin Gamache, Ph.D., answered in the affirmative. HB 127, he told lawmakers, “provides the flexibility for the universities...
July 30, 2026