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Federal Reserve Benefits

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After the nation’s banks were hit hard by a severe financial panic in 1907, the United States President and Congress decided the nation’s banking system needed reformed and strengthened. Subsequently, in 1910, a small group of bankers and politicians secretly met on Georgia’s Jekyll Island for 10-days and drafted an outline of a new central banking system that would protect the United States economy from future financial crises and provide the platform for America to thrive. This outline, known as the Aldrich Plan named after Senate Republican of Rhode Island, Nelson Aldrich was submitted to congress but was voted down. However, this would later serve as the model for which the Federal Reserve Act was based. The Federal Reserve Act was signed into law on December 23, 1913, by Woodrow Wilson and established the Federal Reserve, or the Fed, as the central bank for United States.
The Responsibilities of the Federal Reserve
The Federal Reserve was created primarily to be the lender of last resort to provide cash during a financial panic; however, their responsibilities have evolved and increased over time. In November 1977, Congress expanded the Feds responsibilities with the Federal Reserve Act to include the creation of monetary policies to promote price stability and the maximization of employment to keep the economy moving …show more content…

The Federal Reserve plays a vital role as the intermediary in clearing and settling interbank payments to assure that the millions of transactions performed each day are processed safely and efficiently. Acting as the “Banker’s Bank”, the Federal Reserve Banks provide various services to the nation’s banks such as check processing, electronic transfers, and ensuring there is enough cash in circulation to meet public demand. As fiscal agent for the U.S. government, the Reserve Banks pay Treasury checks and issue, transfer, and redeem U.S. government

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