Maryland Governor Larry Hogan is urging Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to reconsider his decision to delay the release of the Harriet Tubman $20 bill.

On Tuesday, Hogan wrote that Tubman, who managed to escape from her enslavement and lead other enslaved Black people to freedom before the Civil War, more than earned her place among the nation’s most pivotal leaders.

“I hope your department will reconsider its decision and instead join our efforts to promptly memorialize Tubman’s life and many achievements,” Hogan wrote to Mnuchin in a letter. "Her influence reaches far beyond the borders of our great state." 

The decision to replace former President Andrew Jackson with Tubman on the $20 bill was initially scheduled by former Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew, under the Obama administration. The bill was slated to be unveiled in 2020 to coincide with the 100th anniversary of women's suffrage.

But in May, Mnuchin said the Tubman bill won't reach circulation until 2028.  He blamed the delay on the decision to redesign the $10 bill and the $50 bills first, apparently to make it harder for these bills to be counterfeited. He said those bills will be introduced before the redesigned $20 bill.

Not good enough, according to Hogan.

"Harriet Tubman's countless contributions to our nation transcend race, gender, nationality, and religion," Hogan added. "She dedicated her life in selfless service to others and to the cause of freedom. Her unbelievable acts of heroism, courage, and sacrifice have more than earned her rightful place among our nation's most pivotal leaders. She deserves this honor."

The decision to replace Andrew Jackson, the nation's seventh president, with Tubman on the $20 bill had been made by Mnuchin's predecessor, former Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew, who served in the Obama administration.

In May, New York designer Dano Wall allowed folks to create an imitation of the would-be Tubman bill with a 3-D stamp that would place her face over that of Andrew Jackson's. The stamps quickly sold out. 

Click here to read Hogan's full letter.

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