Legislation to Reform the Federal Reserve on Its 100-Year Anniversary

There are many excellent, capable public servants at the Fed who have served our Nation well and are currently serving our Nation well. But, a critical examination of the last 100 years of the Fed's actions reveals a mixed bag at best. And, most recently, we have seen a radical departure from the historic norms of monetary policy conduct, from an unprecedented use of Section 13(3) exigent powers to select intervention in distinct credit markets, to the facilitation of our unsustainable national debt, to a blurring of the lines between fiscal and monetary policy, all of which presents large and unwarranted risk to the economy. Monetary policy is at its best in maintaining stable, healthy economic growth when it follows a clear, predictable rule or path free from political micromanagement, as it did in the Great Moderation of 1987 to 2002. Neither the Congress, much less the White House or Treasury, should conduct monetary policy operations, but the Federal Reserve's independence and discretion in monetary policy must be paired with appropriate transparency and accountability.