Treasury Department moves forward with effort to put abolitionist Harriet Tubman on new $ 20 bill after effort delayed indefinitely by the Trump administration in 2019.
“The Treasury Department is taking steps to resume efforts to put Harriet Tubman at the forefront of the new $ 20 notes,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Monday. “It’s important that our banknotes, our money … reflect the history and diversity of our country and that the image of Harriet Tubman liking the new $ 20 bill certainly reflects that.”
In a statement provided to CBS News, a Treasury Department spokesman echoed those claims and described Tubman as a “model to follow for leadership and participation in our democracy.”
The renewed effort comes after former Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin announced nearly two years ago that the proposed redesign under former President Obama would not occur under the Trump administration. Mnuchin said it was a “non-political situation” and that the main reason was to avoid counterfeiting money. At the time, Mnuchin suggested that the change in the appearance of the bill would not reappear until 2026 and would not be disseminated until 2028.
Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, who had championed the effort to put money into women since it was proposed by the Obama administration in 2015, said at the time that the postponement was “unacceptable.”
“I have led efforts in the Senate for years to achieve this,” Shaheen tweeted Monday after the White House said efforts would move forward. “The Trump administrator dragged his feet without explanation. Ready to help the Biden administrator see it well, we can finally give Harriet Tubman the honor and recognition she has always deserved.”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer also applauded the move.
“I’m glad the Biden administration is reversing the drag of the Trump administration,” Schumer said in the Senate floor. “That’s the kind of thing they did. No excuse, no reason, they just didn’t do it.”
In May 2016, former Treasury Secretary Jack Lew announced that Tubman would appear at the front of the $ 20, replacing President Andrew Jackson. Jackson would appear on the back of the bill along with a picture of the White House. The announcement came after a ten-month period, when the Treasury Department requested information on who should get the grades.
There are several elements that can make the redesign take a while, especially given the widespread circulation of $ 20 bills among consumers. Security features to protect against counterfeiting are a factor at the moment. A high-speed printing facility is needed to meet production standards. And there needs to be time to try out the new features.