DES MOINES, Iowa — Iowa House Republicans advanced a bill that lines up with President Trump’s executive actions about the names of a shoreline and North America’s highest point.

House Study Bill 97 would require the names Gulf of America and Mt. McKinley to be used in classroom instruction and in all handouts provided to students. The bill moved out of an Iowa House education subcommittee to a full committee level early Monday afternoon.

“Well, it would be anything that would be handed out that would not be, not have been already printed. You know, like a textbook would have been printed,” said State Representative Robert Henderson, (R) District 2 from Sioux City. “My guess would be it would be like if there were a map that showed the original names of the countries that made up Czechoslovakia that were on the map, I think it would be up to the teacher to simply point out that’s no longer the case.”

Rep. Henderson’s comments come as some spoke against the legislation and were wondering if schools would have to use funds to purchase new textbooks or maps. He was also unsure if the legislation would impact school funding, if at all, with the bill just discussing handouts and instructions.

“The only person that’s upset or wants to change it is for political reasons. And I don’t think we have to jump every time somebody wants to do something, especially when it costs us money that we won’t put into our public schools. That bothers me,” said State Representative Mary Madison (D) District 31 from West Des Moines.

Some organizations registered as undecided wondered what the executive action that President Trump signed would apply to schools for instructional purposes. Meaning the state may not even need to take this action if schools have to apply with federal changes. The U.S. Department of Interior made changes to rename them both as Mt. McKinley and Gulf of America.

There were several lobbyists that spoke against the legislation or undecided, none spoke in favor of the bill. Public comments on the Iowa Legislature’s website were in favor of this requirement being passed. The two Iowa House Republicans moved the bill forward to Rep. Madison’s vote against it.

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