HB1976, titled the Woman on the Twenty Act of 2025, would require the $20 note to prominently feature a portrait of Harriet Tubman on the front of the bill. The measure amends federal currency law so that no $20 note printed after December 31, 2028, may be issued without Tubman’s portrait, and it directs the Secretary of the Treasury to release a preliminary design of the redesigned note by December 31, 2026.
The bill’s findings recount the history of U.S. paper money, note that current Federal Reserve notes feature only men, and describe prior Treasury announcements in 2015 and 2016 that had already proposed placing Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill. The legislation is framed as a continuation of that effort and as a symbolic change to federal currency design.
Impact
If enacted, the bill would amend 31 U.S.C. § 5114(b) to impose a statutory requirement on the design of future $20 notes, limiting Treasury’s discretion over that denomination’s appearance. It would also create a deadline for Treasury to publish a preliminary design, affecting the Bureau of Engraving and Printing and the Department of the Treasury’s currency redesign process. The practical effect would be to mandate a redesign of the $20 bill and phase in a Harriet Tubman portrait on newly printed notes after the specified date.
Sentiment
The bill appears broadly supportive and celebratory in tone, with many Democratic House sponsors signaling strong backing for placing Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill. The text itself emphasizes historical recognition and representation, and there is no recorded committee debate or vote history in the provided materials indicating organized opposition. Overall, the available context suggests favorable sentiment toward the proposal as a symbolic and commemorative measure.
Contention
The main point of contention is likely the federal government’s authority and discretion over currency design, including whether Congress should mandate a specific portrait rather than leave the choice to the Treasury Department. Another possible issue is the broader political and cultural debate over replacing Andrew Jackson on the $20 bill, since Jackson remains the current portrait and is a historically significant but controversial figure. No specific objections are recorded in the provided committee materials, but these are the most likely areas of disagreement.