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Schumer launches American women U.S. currency contest

July 1, 2015 From Sen. Chuck Schumer's office
Sen. Chuck Schumer. AP Photo/Brett Carlsen, File
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Standing at the National Women’s Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls, NY, Senator Charles E. Schumer today launched his online poll: ‘Which Great American Woman Should Be on U.S. Currency?’campaign, in which he will be asking NY State residents for their input on which great New York woman should be featured on U.S. currency. Schumer also made a major push to urge the U.S. Treasury Department to choose Seneca Falls as a site for one of the Treasury Department’s upcoming public input town halls on the new currency design. On June 17th, Secretary Jack Lew announced U.S. currency would be redesigned to feature a woman in spirit of the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which guaranteed women the right the vote. The Treasury Department plans to have the currency redesigned by 2020 and will hold several town-hall style meetings in locations across the country in order to determine which American woman will appear on U.S. currency. 

Schumer said choosing Seneca Falls would have symbolic power because it has historical significance as the birthplace of the women’s rights movement. In July 1848, America’s first “Women’s Rights Convention” was held and produced the Declaration of Sentiments, which inspired and guided the drive for women’s equality to this very day. Schumer also officially launched his online poll: ‘Which Great American Woman Should Be on U.S. Currency?’ campaign, in which he will be asking NY State residents for their input on which great New York woman should be featured on the redesigned currency.  

“It’s time we have an American woman represented on our paper currency and the public should have a say in this decision. Vote today to help decide which great New York woman should be featured on U.S. currency,” said Senator Schumer.

Schumer continued, “Seneca Falls was the founding site of one of our country’s most important political and social movements – the women’s rights movement – and because of its unique historical standing it should serve as host to one of the public input town halls to discuss which great American woman will be featured on U.S. currency. It is only fitting that the input of a town so ingrained in the history of women’s suffrage play an integral part in the process that will finally place a woman – and hopefully a New Yorker – on U.S. currency as this nation celebrates the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment.”

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Schumer explained that many great New Yorkers, including Susan B. Anthony, Harriet Tubman, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Eleanor Roosevelt, and more dedicated their lives to creating true democracy in a time when women had no right to vote and slavery was commonplace throughout much of the nation. Schumer said the political and social movements launched by these women and many like them across New York State and the country transformed American society. At the heart of this struggle was the Town of Seneca Falls, where, in 1848, Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott joined with 300 other women at the First Women’s Rights Convention. It was at this convention that these women presented and passed the Declaration of Sentiments, which demanded woman have the right to vote. Therefore, Schumer said that as the birthplace of the women’s suffrage movement, is only fitting that the input of a town so ingrained in the history of women’s rights play an integral part in the process to place a woman on U.S. currency. Schumer urged Treasure Secretary Jack Lew to choose Seneca Falls as the site for one of the Treasury Department’s upcoming town halls where it will ask for public input on the new currency design. 

In addition to saying that Seneca Falls should be a clear choice as a site for one of the public input town halls, Schumer launched his online poll: ‘Which Great American Woman Should Be on U.S. Currency?’ campaign. Through this poll Schumer will be asking NY State residents for their responses and feedback on which great New Yorker should be featured on U.S. currency. Schumer explained that the Treasury Department announced last week that U.S. currency would be redesigned in spirit of the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which guaranteed women the right the vote, and will be rolled out in 2020. Schumer said that, between now and then, the public should have sufficient say in the decision making process.

 

Those who are interested in participating in the poll should visit http://www.schumer.senate.gov/vote-today.


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