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Beatty Urges Treasury to Expedite New Twenty Bill

April 27, 2016
Announcements

According to U.S. Department of Treasury, the new $20, which will feature Harriet Tubman on the front, will not enter circulation until 2030. In response, on April 27, 2016, U.S. Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (OH-03) sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Jack Lew calling on the Department of Treasury to fast track the new $20 note and have it in circulation by 2020—100 years after women first earned the right to vote.

Prior to Secretary Lew's announcement, Beatty previously introduced legislation in April 2015, the Woman on the Twenty Act, H.R. 2147, that directs Treasury to add a woman on the $20 bill.

A copy of Beatty’s letter is below:

April 27, 2016


The Honorable Jack Lew
U.S. Department of Treasury
1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20220

Dear Secretary Lew,

Thank you for your leadership in the quest to make American currency more representative of our nation. I was pleased to learn of Treasury’s plan for the newly designed $20, $10, and $5 notes, with the portrait of Harriet Tubman to be featured on the new $20. I also look forward to seeing the reverse of the new $10 and the new $5, which will feature images of leaders from the suffrage movement and the civil rights movement, respectively.

However, I was dismayed to learn that the new $20 is not expected to be in circulation until 2030 or later. While I recognize there are security concerns which require the redesigned $10 to be the next bill to go into circulation, I would strongly recommend the Administration fast track the $20 note, putting it into production alongside the new $10. As you noted during last week’s historic announcement, this is the first time in more than a century that the front of our currency will feature the portrait of a woman. In that spirit, I ask for your assistance to expedite the new $20 so that it will be in circulation at least by 2020—100 years after women first earned the right to vote. Putting a woman on the new $20 should move from the concept stage to the production stage at Treasury, and I stand ready with you to provide any and all needed support.

Again, thank you for all of your work on this front. I look forward to continuing to work with you on the redesign process and to achieve the ultimate goal of having the new $10 and new $20 in circulation by 2020—the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment.

Sincerely,


Joyce Beatty
Member of Congress, OH-03


cc: Rosie Rios
Treasurer of the United States

Issues:Financial Services and Consumer ProtectionDiversity and Inclusion