By land, by sea, by byte

The Marines battle by land and by sea, and now they are taking the battle online. It's time, some retired Marines think, to change the name of the Dept. of the Navy to the Dept. of the Navy and the Marine Corps. And so, the Washington Post reports, an online petition is circling the Internet. So far the name change advocates have received over 29,000 signatures.

The petition says:

I support H.R.34 and request that Congress act as quickly as possible to pass H.R. 34, re-designating the Department of Navy the Department of Navy and Marine Corps, and send the bill to the President so that the United States Marine Corps can be finally granted equal treatment.
I understand what the Marines have done for the citizens of the United States of America and believe that, after 200 years, it is time they are given full recognition.

The bill in question was introduced by Rep. Walter B. Jones Jr. (R-N.C.) last year, a bill he has introduced before. It met with failure in the Senate. With former Navy Sec. John Warner in charge of the Senate Armed Service Committee, the idea faces an uphill battle. Warner said the bill would get "fair consideration" if it comes up, but:

"There would need to be a compelling reason for Congress to upend 208 years of Marine Corps and Navy tradition in the naming of the department that has served both services so well."