Steve King
Republican Congressman Steve King tried to stop a currency change that will honor Harriet Tubman, a leading Civil War-era abolitionist, but GOP leaders in the House have tabled King’s proposal.
The Huffington Post first reported that King was sponsoring an amendment that would have barred the Treasury Department from spending money to put Tubman’s likeness on the $20 bill. It would replace President Andrew Jackson’s picture on the front of the $20.
King’s congressional staff did not respond to Radio Iowa’s email or phone messages yesterday. King’s Democratic opponent, Kim Weaver, said King is grandstanding to get attention.
“There he goes again,” Weaver said. “…One of the reasons why I’m running is I’m very solution-focused. Iowans care about how are they going to pay for their prescription medications, how are they going to send the children to college. And Steve King, what does he do for us? Nothing.”
Weaver suggested this may have something to do with Donald Trump, who opposes replacing President Jackson with Tubman.
“I do see him aligning a little bit more with the outrageous rhetoric, because he sees that Trump is gaining in popularity,” Weaver said.
Tubman would be the first African American woman to appear on U.S. currency. Trump has called the move “true political correctness.” Politico reported last night that King said it was both “sexist” and “racist” to say a black woman should be pictured on U.S. bank notes. King accused the Obama Administration of “liberal activism,” according to Politico’s report, and King said as a conservative, he wants the 20-dollar bill to stay the same.
A House Rules committee decided late Tuesday that King’s proposal would not be considered during debate on a budget bill.