Sponsor and original cosponsors
H.R.1761 was introduced on February 27, 2025 by Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC-2). The three original cosponsors, listed at introduction in the official bill text, were:
Rep. Diana Harshbarger (R-TN-1) — northeastern Tennessee.
Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC-5) — South Carolina, adjacent to Wilson's district.
Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA-48) — coastal Southern California.
Wilson's press release at introduction named these three specifically.
Cosponsors added later
According to Congress.gov's cosponsor record, the bill has 16 total cosponsors as of mid-2026 — three original and thirteen added subsequently. BillTrack50's database lists the full set of current cosponsors:
- Rep. Brian Babin (R-TX-36)
- Rep. Andy Barr (R-KY-6) — added support via a September 26, 2025 op-ed
- Rep. Buddy Carter (R-GA-1)
- Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA-16)
- Rep. Trent Kelly (R-MS-1)
- Rep. John McGuire (R-VA-5)
- Rep. Dan Meuser (R-PA-9)
- Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN-5)
- Rep. John Rose (R-TN-6)
- Rep. David Rouzer (R-NC-7)
- Rep. John Rutherford (R-FL-5)
- Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY-21)
- Rep. Greg Steube (R-FL-17)
The party breakdown
All 16 cosponsors are Republicans. The bill has zero Democratic cosponsors. This single fact does more than any other to constrain its legislative path — bills without minority support rarely advance through committee even in the chamber controlled by the sponsoring party, because committee chairs weigh the bill's prospects in the other chamber when allocating floor time.
GlobalSecurity.org's analysis describes the cosponsor list as drawing from "the Republican congressional coalition" and characterizes the legislation as "a position-taking exercise more than a serious legislative effort" — a fair description given the absence of advancement after 16 months.
Why the original three matter
Original cosponsors are the legislators who agreed to be listed at the moment a bill is filed. They are typically the sponsor's closest allies on the bill's subject matter. The Harshbarger / Norman / Issa trio reflects exactly that — Norman is from Wilson's home state, Harshbarger represents a deep-Republican Tennessee district, and Issa is one of the longest-serving members of the chamber who has historically backed Trump-aligned legislation.
Added cosponsors signal broader caucus interest but do not change a bill's procedural prospects unless they include the committee chair or members of the leadership.
Andy Barr's separate path
Rep. Andy Barr (R-KY-6) deserves a specific note. He did not cosponsor the bill at introduction. He came out in support via a September 26, 2025 op-ed timed to mark Trump's 250th day in office during his second term. The Wikipedia article on the proposed $250 bill specifically cites this op-ed as the moment Barr publicly aligned with the legislation.
Barr had also separately circulated a January 2025 photo posing with a giant replica of a proposed $250 bill alongside U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach — the same Treasury official whose internal advocacy The Washington Post would later report.