U.S. Federal Reserve Governor Michelle Bowman gives her first public remarks as a Fed policymaker at an American Bankers Association conference in San Diego, California, U.S., February 11 2019. REUTERS/Ann Saphir/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsOct 7 (Reuters) - Federal Reserve Governor Michelle Bowman on Saturday repeated her view that inflation continues to be too high despite "considerable" progress in lowering it, and the U.S. central bank will likely need to tighten monetary policy further. "I expect it will likely be appropriate for the (Fed) to raise rates further and hold them at a restrictive level for some time to return inflation to our 2 percent goal in a timely way," Bowman said in prepared remarks to the Connecticut Bankers Association. The comments were largely identical to those Bowman made on Monday about the economic and policy outlook. Bowman, one of the Fed's most hawkish policymakers, said the latest employment report reflected "solid" job growth.

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Persons: Michelle Bowman, Ann Saphir, Bowman, Paul Simao Organizations: Federal, American Bankers Association, REUTERS, Connecticut Bankers Association, U.S . Labor Department, Thomson Locations: San Diego , California, U.S