Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-OH-03) is leading the movement to replace President Andrew Jackson with abolitionist Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill.
In May, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin announced that the Trump administration wouldn’t be able to meet a 2020 deadline for unveiling the Tubman-themed bill, citing “counterfeiting issues” and pushing the deadline for the redesigned bill back to 2028.
Beatty introduced the Woman on the Twenty Act in response, which would require $20 bills printed after 2022 to prominently feature a portrait of Tubman.
“I strongly oppose the Trump administration’s unreasonable decision to indefinitely delay the release of the new $20 bill with no real plan of action. Over three years ago, I worked directly with the Department of Treasury to plan the release of the new $20 design featuring Harriet Tubman—coinciding with the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment,” Beatty said in a press release.
“The new $20 [bill] is desperately needed, as the last new design occurred nearly a century ago and was determined by the American people to better reflect the diversity of our great country,” she added. “That is why I am proud to reintroduce the Woman on the Twenty Act to ensure that Harriet Tubman finds her rightful place on our nation’s currency.”
On Thursday afternoon, Beatty organized a protest on the steps of the U.S. Treasury Department to demand that the Trump administration place Tubman on the $20 bill.
Today from the steps of the @USTreasury, @RepBeatty lead Democratic leaders to demand that @realDonaldTrump put legendary abolitionist #HarrietTubman on the $20 following @stevenmnuchin1’s decision to indefinitely delay the bill’s introduction. 💸#TubmanTwenty #New20 pic.twitter.com/EwjhSzKUPn
— The Black Caucus (@TheBlackCaucus) June 27, 2019
“As one of the earliest advocates in Congress for placing a woman on the $20 bill, I was not only appalled, I was angry with Secretary Mnuchin’s lackluster response, so I immediately reintroduced H.R. 3082 to require the U.S. Treasury Department to put Tubman on the $20 bill,” Beatty said at the protest.
Beatty was sporting a coat that said “Put Tubman on the Twenty” during the protest. She was joined by several of her congressional colleagues, including House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD-05) and Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA-07).
“As one of the earliest advocates in Congress for placing a woman on the $20, I was not only appalled, I was angry w Secy Mnuchin’s lackluster response, so I immediately reintroduced #HR3082 to require the @USTreasury to put Tubman on the $20 bill.” @RepBeatty #TubmanTwenty pic.twitter.com/1hrCGkWhKS
— The Black Caucus (@TheBlackCaucus) June 27, 2019
“Mnuchin has allowed Trump’s racism and misogyny to prevent him from carrying out the will of the people,” said Pressley. “Mnuchin, like so many others in this disgraceful administration, continues to behave as if his job is to satisfy the president and not to serve the American people.”
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Anthony Gockowski is managing editor of Battleground State News, The Ohio Star, and The Minnesota Sun. Follow Anthony on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Joyce Beatty” by Black Caucus.
