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Fed Chair Kevin Warsh Reportedly Weighs Fewer Annual Policy Meetings

2026-08-01·newswire-us-stock-031444
Fed Chair Kevin Warsh Reportedly Weighs Fewer Annual Policy Meetings.

Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh is reportedly considering reducing the number of regular interest-rate decision meetings held each year, a move that could cause significant disruption and mark the central bank’s biggest operational change in recent years.

The 12-member Federal Open Market Committee, or FOMC, currently meets eight times a year to vote on whether to raise, lower or hold borrowing costs steady. U.S. media outlets reported on July 31, citing people familiar with the matter, that Warsh is considering reducing the frequency of the Fed’s regular monetary policy meetings.

The New York Times, citing four people familiar with the matter, reported that Warsh proposed reducing the number of such meetings at this week’s policy meeting. He discussed the law that sets the minimum number of policy meetings the FOMC must hold each year and the timing for potentially changing that requirement.

However, the meeting calendar was not discussed in depth, and Warsh instead asked Fed officials to provide feedback. Under the U.S. Banking Act of 1935, the FOMC is required to hold at least four policy meetings each year. Since 1981, the Fed has held eight regularly scheduled policy meetings annually, roughly once every six weeks.

At his April confirmation hearing to become Fed chair, Warsh said that four policy meetings a year were “not enough” and that holding more than four was reasonable.

After taking the oath of office as Fed chair in May, he substantially shortened the policy statements issued after each meeting and made fewer references to his views on economic conditions and the path of interest rates. He also proposed reducing the number of post-meeting news conferences.

The Fed has consistently held such news conferences since January 2019.

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Full text

Fed Chair Kevin Warsh Reportedly Weighs Fewer Annual Policy Meetings

Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh is reportedly considering reducing the number of regular interest-rate decision meetings held each year, a move that could cause significant disruption and mark the central bank’s biggest operational change in recent years. The 12-member Federal Open Market Committee, or FOMC, currently meets eight times a year to vote on whether to raise, lower or hold borrowing costs steady. U.S. media outlets reported on July 31, citing people familiar with the matter, that Warsh is considering reducing the frequency of the Fed’s regular monetary policy meetings. The New York Times, citing four people familiar with the matter, reported that Warsh proposed reducing the number of such meetings at this week’s policy meeting. He discussed the law that sets the minimum number of policy meetings the FOMC must hold each year and the timing for potentially changing that requirement. However, the meeting calendar was not discussed in depth, and Warsh instead asked Fed officials to provide feedback. Under the U.S. Banking Act of 1935, the FOMC is required to hold at least four policy meetings each year. Since 1981, the Fed has held eight regularly scheduled policy meetings annually, roughly once every six weeks. At his April confirmation hearing to become Fed chair, Warsh said that four policy meetings a year were “not enough” and that holding more than four was reasonable. After taking the oath of office as Fed chair in May, he substantially shortened the policy statements issued after each meeting and made fewer references to his views on economic conditions and the path of interest rates. He also proposed reducing the number of post-meeting news conferences. The Fed has consistently held such news conferences since January 2019.

Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh is reportedly considering reducing the number of regular interest-rate decision meetings held each year, a move that could cause significant disruption and mark the central bank’s biggest operational change in recent years.

The 12-member Federal Open Market Committee, or FOMC, currently meets eight times a year to vote on whether to raise, lower or hold borrowing costs steady.

U.S. media outlets reported on July 31, citing people familiar with the matter, that Warsh is considering reducing the frequency of the Fed’s regular monetary policy meetings.

The New York Times, citing four people familiar with the matter, reported that Warsh proposed reducing the number of such meetings at this week’s policy meeting. He discussed the law that sets the minimum number of policy meetings the FOMC must hold each year and the timing for potentially changing that requirement. However, the meeting calendar was not discussed in depth, and Warsh instead asked Fed officials to provide feedback.

Under the U.S. Banking Act of 1935, the FOMC is required to hold at least four policy meetings each year. Since 1981, the Fed has held eight regularly scheduled policy meetings annually, roughly once every six weeks.

At his April confirmation hearing to become Fed chair, Warsh said that four policy meetings a year were “not enough” and that holding more than four was reasonable. After taking the oath of office as Fed chair in May, he substantially shortened the policy statements issued after each meeting and made fewer references to his views on economic conditions and the path of interest rates. He also proposed reducing the number of post-meeting news conferences. The Fed has consistently held such news conferences since January 2019.

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