SHAHEEN: No Excuses Left for Trump Administration on Redesign of $20 Bill Honoring Tubman
Preliminary redesign of the new $20 bill obtained by the New York Times
(Washington, DC)—U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) issued the following statement after the New York Times published a redesign of the $20 bill featuring Harriet Tubman. The New York Times story claims that the preliminary design was completed in 2016, and the note likely could have been released on next year’s centennial of the 19th Amendment, contradicting claims that the Department of Treasury has made to Senator Shaheen.
“The Trump administration has no excuses left for its needless delay of the redesign of the $20 bill honoring Harriet Tubman,” said Shaheen. “The Department of the Treasury should move forward with a 2020 release and account for the many discrepancies between its public statements and this new reporting. The Trump administration’s indefinite postponement of this redesign is offensive to women and girls, and communities of color, who have been excitedly waiting to see this woman and civil rights icon honored in this special way. Our currency tells our country’s story and it is past time to honor the contributions of Harriet Tubman.”
In a letter sent to Senator Shaheen in May of 2018, the Department of the Treasury stated the following:
“The redesign of the next currency series is still in the early stages, and neither the final designs nor all features have been finalized for the new notes. For this reason, the Department is unable to provide additional information regarding the potential designs at this time.”
Senator Shaheen recently re-introduced the Harriet Tubman Tribute Act in the Senate as part of her longstanding leadership in Congress to honor women on our nation’s currency. In 2015, she called on the Obama administration to feature a woman on our currency through executive action. Last year, Shaheen sent a letter to Mnuchin requesting a detailed timeline from Department of the Treasury on the redesign to meet the 2020 deadline in conjunction with the 100 year anniversary of women’s suffrage. Secretary Mnuchin failed to provide such information.
