Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-OH) scolded Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent after he declined to provide details about an effort to place Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill.
During a Wednesday House Financial Services Committee hearing, Beatty repeatedly shouted at Bessent for talking over her.
"It's my time!" she exclaimed. "You will not do this on my time."
"In 2016, former Secretary Jack Lew announced that Harriet Tubman was to be the new face of the $20 bill," Beatty continued. "Can you tell me what's the current status of this project?"
"No, ma'am, I can't, but my staff will get back to you," Bessent replied.
"No, I want you to get back to me because, see, there seems to be an issue when it comes to things that affect people of color or people who live in poverty, whether it is what you're doing with Social Security, what you are doing with restricting funds to programs," Beatty said.
Acting Chair Bryan Steil (R-WI) informed Beatty that her time had expired, but she continued to demand a response from Bessent.
"Mr. Chairman, I need him to answer!" she said. "I'm not asking him to have his staff report to me. So, Mr. Chairman, I'm addressing it to you to ask him to respect me."
"The gentlewoman's time is expired," Steil stated.
"I need him to address if he will answer me as, no, I'm not going to be able, I'm not going to stop until you direct him to answer to me as a member of Congress!" Beatty insisted. "I will not stop! I will not be silent until you direct him to answer to me as a member of Congress. Mr. Chairman, I'm talking to you!"
"As a member of the United States Congress addressing the Secretary, I am asking you to rule on asking this hostile witness to direct his response to me, versus having him tell me that his staff will respond to me," she told Steil. "My staff person didn't ask him the question. I did."
Steil, however, ruled that Beatty did not state a proper parliamentary inquiry.
"I am not going to stop this this morning until you respond to me then, if you will direct the Secretary to respond to me as a member of Congress," Beatty pressed.
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"The gentlewoman will suspend!" Steil exclaimed, banging the gavel.
"The gentlewoman makes a legitimate request," ranking member Maxine Waters (D-CA) noted.
"Just ask him to respond if he'll respond to a member of Congress versus saying a staffer," Beatty said. "It's simple as that."
Steil warned Beatty to "keep decorum and remain cordial."
"I am being cordial to you, Mr. Chairman," Beatty responded. "I resent your statement to imply that I am not. I am a member of the U.S. Congress. I am asking this secretary to respond to me."
With that, Steil moved on to questions from other members.
"The gentlewoman's time has expired," he remarked.
Watch the video below from the House Financial Services Committee or click the link.
