Rep. Elijah Cummings, Other Congress Leaders Question Delay Of Harriet Tubman $20 Bill
WASHINGTON, DC (WJZ) — Two congressmen are questioning why the $20 bill featuring Harriet Tubman has been delayed.
Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (D-MD) and Rep. John Katko (R-NY), the authors of the Harriet Tubman Tribute Act in the House of Representatives, sent a letter to U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin expressing their disappointment in the recent delay of the new design of the $20 note.
They also asked Mnuchin for an update on the timeframe for the reveal and circulation of all Federal Reserve notes undergoing redesigns and for the Treasury Department to give specific information on security considerations that have delayed the reveal of updated portraits on redesigned notes, a release said Thursday.
Representatives Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ), Elise M. Stefanik (R-NY), Ann McLane Kuster (D-NH), and Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) joined Cummings and Katko in sending the letter:
"We write to express significant disappointment regarding your recent announcement of delays in the U.S. Treasury Department's commitment to feature Harriet Tubman's portrait on the $20 Federal Reserve note," wrote the Members. "As a conductor on the Underground Railroad and a supporter of the women's suffrage movement, Harriet Tubman played a critical role in some of the most significant efforts in our country's history to ensure the basic rights of all Americans. In consideration of her continued role in inspiring individuals of all backgrounds to pursue freedom and equality, we believe that memorializing Tubman on the $20 note would serve as a fitting tribute to her life and legacy."
"With this important history in mind, we ask that you reaffirm the Treasury's previous commitment to feature Harriet Tubman on the $20 note and provide an updated timeframe for the reveal and circulation of all Federal Reserve notes currently undergoing the redesign process. In addition to confirming the inclusion of Tubman's portrait on the $20 note, we ask that you provide specific information regarding security considerations that have delayed the reveal of updated portraits on redesigned notes,"
Cummings and Katko have introduced the Harriet Tubman Tribute Act in 2015, 2017 and most recently in February 2019.
$20 Bills Featuring Harriet Tubman Won't Come Out In 2020, Pushed To 2028
The redesign was said to be delayed earlier in May until as late as 2028.
The full letter can be found here.
