Today, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), the Ranking Member on the House Financial Services Committee, and U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Ranking Member of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) Acting Director Michael Brown, calling for a robust and timely investigation after a noose was found hanging at a BEP facility shortly before the Juneteenth holiday. The Ranking Members urged Secretary Bessent to identify those responsible, hold them to account, and institute changes to ensure nothing like this happens again. 

In the letter, the lawmakers condemned the incident as a disturbing act of racial hatred and demanded an immediate briefing from Treasury and BEP on the incident, the Administration’s response, and the protections available to employees who report discrimination without fear of retaliation. 

“A hanging noose is a stark reminder of this country’s history of racial violence and lynching of African Americans. It serves as a potent symbol of hate used to send a clear message to Black employees at BEP that this is not a safe environment for you to serve the American people,” wrote the lawmakers. “This reported incident—the hanging of a noose at a BEP facility—is unacceptable.” 

The lawmakers also raised serious concerns that the incident comes as the Trump Administration has worked to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion policies and practices across the Federal government. They warned that when agency leaders fail to ensure employees can work free from racism and discrimination, they risk creating an environment where racist behavior is allowed to fester. 

“When agency leadership is not intentional about ensuring that every employee is able to effectively perform a job free of racism and discrimination, bad actors can feel emboldened to unleash deep-seated hatred,” the lawmakers wrote. “...The hanging of a noose at a BEP facility requires an immediate, robust investigation and response...This incident requires immediate action in addition to systemic changes that ensure a safer, more inclusive environment for all employees.” 

The letter notes that this is not the first disturbing race-related incident involving Treasury or its Bureaus. In 2020, Black employees at the U.S. Mint called on then-Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to address what they described as “rampant racism” at the Mint. Those employees pointed to several incidents, including a noose discovered at a Philadelphia facility in 2017. An internal cultural assessment also found that Black employees at the Mint felt marginalized, threatened, and professionally disadvantaged. 

In closing, the lawmakers are calling on Treasury and BEP leadership to fully cooperate with the Office of Inspector General’s investigation and provide an immediate briefing on the actions taken following the discovery of the noose. They are also seeking information on the channels available for BEP employees to report discrimination without fear of retaliation. 

The full letter is available [HERE].