Ohio Republican Representative Michael Rulli has introduced legislation to withhold federal funding from cities and states that replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day. The proposal follows President Donald Trump's recent proclamation honoring Christopher Columbus and Italian American heritage. Rulli emphasizes preserving the holiday's cultural significance without undermining Native American recognition.
On October 9, 2025, President Donald Trump signed a proclamation declaring October 13 as Columbus Day, honoring Italian explorer Christopher Columbus and the heritage of Italian Americans across the United States. Trump's Cabinet spontaneously applauded during the signing, as reported in coverage of the event.
In response, Rep. Michael Rulli, R-Ohio, proposed a bill that would reaffirm Columbus Day as a federal holiday while penalizing jurisdictions that opt for Indigenous Peoples Day instead. The legislation aims to withhold funding from such cities and states. "We are not going to allow any American municipality to think that they have power over the federal government," Rulli stated in an interview with Fox News Digital.
Rulli framed the bill as a defense of Italian American culture, noting that Columbus Day celebrations extend beyond the explorer to include traditions in Little Italy neighborhoods nationwide. "This is about every son and daughter of Italy, every Knights of Columbus, every pasta dinner on Sunday, and every communion — everything that makes our culture who we are, from Philadelphia to San Francisco," he said. He highlighted the holiday's origins in 1892, partly motivated by the lynching of 11 Italian Americans in New Orleans.
The proposal comes after President Joe Biden's 2021 recognition of the second Monday in October as both Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples Day, a move praised by progressive activists for acknowledging the impacts of colonization on indigenous peoples. Rulli argued that combining the holidays undercuts both groups' legacies and expressed willingness to establish a separate day for Native Americans. "I mean, the Native Americans are some of the most amazing, dynamic cultural people that make up the fabric of America. But they need their own special day," he said. "By no means... is this bill meant to offend any of the indigenous people. They deserve their own day. We will get them their own day, but not Columbus Day. This has already been embedded in our fabric for 130 years."
Rulli praised Trump's action as an "olive branch to all Italian Americans," regardless of political affiliation.