Now showing: House Republicans’ Wastin’ Your Time 2: Electric Boogaloo

LANSING, Mich., May 7, 2025 — In a bizarre déjà vu, House Republicans today revisited last week’s failure to pass House Bill 4244. The bill would have forced public bodies in Michigan to refer to the “Gulf of Mexico” as the “Gulf of America.” House Republicans ultimately pulled HB 4244 from the agenda last week after ruling that every Democratic amendment to refocus the Legislature on issues that matter to Michiganders was “dilatory.” Eager to remind Michiganders about their misplaced priorities — and likely because Matt Hall didn’t have his own caucus votes to pass it as a bill — Republicans revamped the bill into a resolution, which passed the House via voice vote today.

“I was unfortunately not surprised that Republican leadership would force us to consider this irrelevant topic again after last week’s failure. Typically, just one defeat encourages self-reflection and refocusing, but not for this majority,” said state Rep. Morgan Foreman (D-Pittsfield Twp.). “It really makes you wonder how much heat Matt Hall and Matt Maddock can command. If the speaker and Appropriations Committee vice chair can’t pass an easy messaging bill, I worry about the quality of leadership Michiganders are forced to rely on.”

Revisiting the Gulf of Mexico topic was just the latest Republican ploy to waste taxpayers’ time and money on politics, instead of working on  initiatives that would improve Michiganders’ lives. House Democrats have introduced legislation to offer working families some much-needed breathing room, including initiatives to set up a prescription drug affordability board (PDAB), prevent payroll fraud, reduce the impact of medical debt and more.

“Life is hard for a lot of Michiganders right now. As legislators, our shared duty is obvious: we need to be laser-focused on the things that would make the most meaningful changes for our constituents. Yet for some reason, House Republicans insist on talking about the Gulf of Mexico, a body of water 1,000 miles away from Michigan, not once but twice in two weeks. It’s a complete waste of time. Honestly, I don’t understand why we aren’t focused on lowering costs and investing in our kids,” said state Rep. Jennifer Conlin (D-Ann Arbor Charter Twp.). 

“Frankly, the behavior and bills coming from the other side of the aisle have been disappointing for a long time. The entire state of Michigan is counting on us to govern thoughtfully and responsibly. Instead, the highest ranking member of the state House has been drawing up movie posters, wasting time on stunts like this one about the Gulf of Mexico. And for what? Getting only two bills signed into law this year — it’s a record low,” said state Rep. Phil Skaggs (D-Novi). “The Michigan taxpayers who pay our salaries expect we’re doing all we can to help them and our state succeed. Those successes are few and far between in the 103rd Legislature, but it seems to be the new normal under the failing leadership of Speaker Matt Hall. To quote his idol, ‘Sad!’”

###