Republicans celebrated the Columbus Day holiday Monday by sailing to the rescue of the long-derided Italian explorer.
Rep. Mike Rulli, Ohio Republican, introduced legislation timed to the Monday holiday that would prohibit federal funds from flowing to states and local governments that have replaced Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
“This is not about inclusion, it is about erasing the contributions of millions of Italian Americans who helped build this nation,” Mr. Rulli said in a statement to 21WFMJ-TV. “Indigenous peoples deserve recognition, but this day was created to honor us.”
He added that “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.”
The bill was introduced shortly after President Trump honored Columbus Day in a robust proclamation, breaking with the Biden administration’s tradition of recognizing both Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples’ Day on the second Tuesday in October.
The White House proclamation celebrated the Italian navigator as an “original American hero” who “paved the way for the ultimate triumph of Western civilization less than three centuries later on July 4, 1776” with his 1492 voyage to the New World.
Sen. Ted Cruz, Texas Republican, and Mr. Rulli have also called for “immediate action” to restore Christopher Columbus Circle near Union Station, saying the plaza is plagued by “degenerates, clutter, signage, and debris that detract from its intended purpose and historic integrity.”
“The Columbus fountain, located in front of Union Station, has long served as a symbolic landmark honoring the spirit of discovery, exploration, and cultural exchange that helped shape our nation,” they said in a letter to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum.
“Unfortunately, the fountain and plaza have fallen into disrepair,” the Friday letter said.
The Republicans asked Mr. Burgum to undertake a “full restoration” of the plaza, including the central fountain, which has been broken for two decades.
They also said they will pursue legislation to transfer control of the plaza to the Department of Transportation, which owns Union Station, calling it a more natural fit.
Restoring Columbus Day to its former glory won’t be easy. The federal holiday honoring the Genoa-born seaman has been losing ground for years to Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
As many as 221 cities have either jettisoned Columbus Day entirely in favor of Indigenous Peoples’ Day or placed the two holidays on the same date, according to the Rename Columbus Day campaign.
In six states, Columbus Day shares the calendar with Indigenous Peoples’ Day or another holiday honoring American Indian heritage, including Montana, which marked its first dual Columbus-Indigenous Peoples’ holiday on Monday.
In four states, Columbus Day has been supplanted altogether as a paid holiday by Indigenous Peoples’ Day, as shown in an analysis by the Pew Research Center.
Mr. Rulli said his bill, dubbed “The Italian Heroes and Heritage Act,” seeks to “preserve Columbus Day and the achievements of Italian Americans.”
“This day is a tribute to exploration, faith, and family, the same values that built our nation and continue to bind us together,” he said in a Monday post on X. “Honoring Columbus Day means honoring the spirit of perseverance and pride that defines the American story.”
• Valerie Richardson can be reached at vrichardson@washingtontimes.com.