Congressman Mike Rulli (OH-06) introduced the "Italian Heroes and Heritage Act" in Congress Friday — an act he says will preserve Columbus Day and the achievements of Italian Americans. If passed, the bill would prohibit federal funds from being distributed to any state or local government that replaces Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples' Day, Rulli said.
"This is not about inclusion, it is about erasing the contributions of millions of Italian Americans who helped build this nation," Rulli said in a statement. "Indigenous peoples deserve recognition, but this day was created to honor us...Italian Americans fought to be recognized as part of the American story, and we will not allow their memory or their day of honor to be erased."
