Several Italianophiles will be protesting Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) in front of the Capitol today and Thursday.

Italians, Italian-Americans and their sympathizers are asked to meet the Rhodes Tavern-DC Heritage Society at the “grassy area on House side of East Front of the Capitol” to protest what the group says is Boehner’s failure to recognize Italy’s anniversary.

“The new Italian Prime Minister, Mario Monti, will be in the U.S. on Feb. 8 and 9 for a White House visit with [President Barack Obama],” the group’s president, Joseph N. Grano, wrote in a colorful email (the text is outlined in green, black, blue and red).

“This is the proper occasion to remind the U.S. Congress that it has not officially recognized the 150th anniversary of the birth of Italy as a modern nation which occurred on March 17, 1861.”

Oh, Congress! How could you?

“[The] House of Representative’s GOP leadership has a new policy not to allow any ceremonial resolutions to be introduced and voted on in the House,” Grano said.

It actually reaches back to the beginning of the 112th Congress, but we guess that depends on your definition of new.

“This rule was instituted to eliminate the introduction of frivolous resolutions, but it also eliminates important ones. There is no mechanism to differentiate between the two types,” he continued. No word from the Speaker’s office on Boehner’s position on Italy’s anniversary.