House committee blocks Republican proposal keeping Harriet Tubman off $20 bill

Anti-immigrant Rep. Steve King (R-IA) attempted on Tuesday to prevent the upcoming change on the $20 bill to have it feature Harriet Tubman, Politico reported.

The Tea Party Republican introduced an amendment to a House spending bill that would have barred any funding for redesigns of any currency issued by the Federal Reserve. However, the Rules Committee did not allow it to be considered.

According to King, his issue is not with Tubman -- but he still felt it was "sexist" and "racist" to add someone who is not a white man to the country's currency.

"This is liberal activism on the part of the president, that's trying to identify people by categories and he's divided us on the lines of groups," said King, who once accused Mexican immigrants of carrying "canteloupes" in their calves. "This is a divisive proposal on the part of the president and mine's unifying. It says just don't change anything."

The Treasury Department announced in April that it would redesign the $20 bill to move President Andrew Jackson to the rear, while Tubman would be featured on the front.

"Why would you want to change that?" King asked Politico. "I am a conservative, I like to keep what we have."