Rep. Beatty pushes for Tubman on $20 bill

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Representative Joyce Beatty said the Trump administration's delay of getting abolitionist Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill is looking more and more like a "racist decision."

Beatty held a news conference outside the Treasury Department late last week, just days after it was announced the department will conduct an internal investigation into why getting Tubman on the bill is being delayed.

The Third District Democrat said she hoped bringing her campaign to the steps of the department would make her message to Secretary Steven Mnuchin loud and clear.

"We do not accept his response," said Beatty. "We do not accept that it is not political. We know what it is — a black woman! A woman who fought for freedom from others! And that is why it is very personal to me."

Nearly two dozen Democrats joined Beatty at the news conference, including House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Maryland).

"We not only honor [Tubman] because of her gender," said Hoyer. "We not only honor her because of the color of her skin. But we honor her for her character. Her character to save and preserve and uphold America's values. That's why it is so appropriate that Harriet Tubman be added to the $20 bill."

Beatty has reintroduced legislation to get the famed abolitionist on the $20 bill after the Treasury Department announced a multi-year delay, which keeps former President Andrew Jackson on the currency for the time being.

This was the second news conference Beatty held in a matter of weeks on the topic after Mnuchin explained the delay like this in a hearing in May.

"The primary reason we've looked at redesigning the currency is for counter-fitting issues," said Mnuchin. "Based upon this, the $20 bill will now not come out until 2028. The $10 bill and the $50 bill will come out with new features beforehand."

When he was asked during that hearing if he supports putting Tubman on the $20 bill, Mnuchin said, "I've made no decision as it relates to that."

Beatty is chairwoman of the House Financial Services Diversity and Inclusion Subcommittee, so it's not unusual for her to be fighting for a cause like this.

She said the night before last week's press conference, she received a new letter from one of Mnuchin's staffers, but Beatty said it offered no new explanation for the delay.

This article was originally published by Spectrum News 1 on July 1, 2019.