Sponsors (16)
The bill would let the Treasury honor living Americans and refresh currency designs—potentially boosting public interest—at the cost of modest public spending and a higher risk of politicizing U.S. money and eroding norms of neutrality.
General public and communities: Treasury would be allowed to place distinguished living Americans (non‑presidents) on currency and securities, creating new, formal ways to honor contemporary artists, scientists, and civic leaders.
Taxpayers and collectors: Updated currency designs that include living figures could boost public interest and numismatic sales, potentially increasing engagement with U.S. money and generating additional revenue or collectible demand.
All U.S. taxpayers: Changing designs and producing a new $250 bill (and other redesign-related work) would create modest additional costs for redesign, production, public education, and collector editions that the Treasury would incur and could ultimately fund from public resources.
General public and civic norms: Allowing living, non‑presidential political figures on currency risks politicizing U.S. money and eroding norms of governmental neutrality, increasing controversy, public debate, and potential backlash over who is chosen.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Directs Treasury to print a new $250 federal note with Donald J. Trump's portrait within one year and allows living non-presidents on currency while retaining a ban on presidents appearing.
Introduced February 27, 2025 by Joe Wilson · Last progress February 27, 2025
Requires the Treasury to produce a new $250 Federal Reserve note bearing a portrait of Donald J. Trump and to begin printing those notes within one year of enactment. It also changes federal law to allow living persons (other than current or former Presidents) to appear on U.S. currency and securities. The bill contains no appropriation. It creates a direct tension between the printing mandate (portrait of a former President) and the separate change that continues to prohibit Presidents from appearing on currency, raising a likely legal and implementation conflict and potential litigation risk.