A memorial is a nonbinding legislative action that does not effect a change in state statutes.
“I’m also running a bill in the Arizona Senate to rename State Route 260 to be the ‘Donald J. Trump Highway,’” Rogers said in a Jan. 8 post on Twitter in response to a user expressing support for President-elect Trump’s proposal to rename the Gulf of Mexico.
“We’re going to be changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America,” Trump had said on Jan. 7 “What a beautiful name, and it’s appropriate.” U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene [R-Ga.] posted on Twitter following Trump’s statement that she had directed her staff to “immediately begin drafting legislation to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico.”
Even if the U.S. government decides to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico, there is nothing to require other nations to conform to such a name change.
“This is important to begin funding the changing of maps for all agencies within the federal government, like the FAA and the military,” Greene posted.
Rogers’ memorial argued that the highway should be renamed for Trump on the grounds of his becoming the first Republican nominee to win the popular vote for president since George W. Bush’s 2004 reelection; his proposed creation of a nongovernmental “Department of Government Efficiency” presidential advisory commission composed of businessmen Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy; his support for a wall on the U.S. — Mexico border; and his withdrawal of the United States from the United Nations Paris Climate Agreement.
“President Trump’s energy plan includes several ambitious policy prescriptions designed to establish American energy dominance and to remove regulatory burdens on the use of energy, while at the same time ensuring meaningful environmental protection and continued progress toward cleaner air and water,” SCM 1001 stated.
Arizona Republicans have a 17-13 majority in the state senate and a 33-27 majority in the state house. If passed, SCM1001 would go to Democratic Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs for signature; Hobbs has set records for her use of the veto, striking down 143 bills in 2023 and 73 in 2024.
Starting in Cottonwood, State Route 260 runs 193 miles through Payson, Heber-Overgaard and Show Low before terminating in Eager.
Rogers previously drafted SCM1003 in 2021 to rename State Route 260 after Trump. The bill died in committee.
