What is the Fed?

The Federal Reserve often referred to as “the Fed” is the central bank of the United States. Congress created the Fed in 1913 to help promote a safe and sound monetary and financial system for our nation. The Fed includes the Board of Governors in Washington D.C. which has seven members including the Chairman and Vice Chairman. All of the members of the Board are appointed of the President of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate. The Fed also includes 12 regional Federal Reserve Banks located in cities throughout the country. The Reserve Banks serve as the central banks' operating arms and also gather economic information from all over the country to help the Fed both monitor the economy and get the broad input necessary to develop and implement effective U.S. monetary policy.