Hands Off Our Great Lakes Act
- Sponsor
- Rep. Dingell, Debbie [D-MI-6]
- Committees
- Natural Resources Committee (primary)
- Last action
- Aug 31, 2026
Bottom line
The bill seeks to legally safeguard the traditional names of the Great Lakes by preventing federal renaming efforts and overturning a specific executive order that renamed Lake Ontario.
What it actually does
This bill prohibits the President, the Secretary of the Interior, and any federal employee from altering or renaming the official geographic names of the five Great Lakes: Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario. It specifically nullifies Executive Order 14422, which renamed Lake Ontario as 'Lake America,' and bans the implementation or funding of this or any substantially similar executive action.
Proponents argue
Supporters argue that the Great Lakes possess profound cultural, historical, and economic significance, and their established names should be protected from arbitrary changes by executive action. They contend that such renamings undermine regional identity, create confusion, and disrespect long-standing geographic conventions.
Opponents contend
Opponents of this bill, or proponents of the Executive Order it nullifies, might argue that the President has the inherent authority to issue executive orders for symbolic or historical purposes. They could view legislative interference in such matters as an overreach of congressional power or a politically motivated attempt to undermine presidential prerogatives.
The bill is exceptionally short and clearly written, allowing for a quick and comprehensive understanding of its provisions in a very short amount of time.
Section 2(a)
Prohibition on Renaming Great Lakes
This section explicitly forbids the President, the Secretary of the Interior, or any federal employee acting under presidential authority from changing, redesignating, or otherwise renaming the official geographic names of Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario. Its purpose is to permanently safeguard the traditional and widely recognized names of these five major bodies of water.
Supporters argue
Supporters argue that preserving the historical and widely recognized names of the Great Lakes is crucial for regional identity, cultural heritage, and consistency in geographic references. They believe these names are deeply embedded in the public consciousness and should not be subject to unilateral executive alteration.
Critics contend
No specific opposition is typically raised against the general principle of preserving established geographic names, unless the renaming itself was part of a broader policy or symbolic initiative. Opponents of this bill would likely focus on the nullification aspect rather than the general prohibition.
Tradeoffs
This provision balances the executive's potential authority to name or rename federal assets against the legislative branch's desire to protect established geographic identifiers with significant public and cultural resonance.
Section 3(a), (b), (c)
Nullification of Executive Order 14422 and Prohibition on Future Similar Actions
This section declares Executive Order 14422, which renamed Lake Ontario as 'Lake America,' to have no legal force or effect. Furthermore, it prohibits any federal official from issuing, implementing, administering, or enforcing this executive order or any substantially similar future executive action. It also explicitly bans the use of federal funds for any activities related to implementing or giving effect to Executive Order 14422 or similar actions.