"I expect rates may have to stay higher, and for longer, than previous projections had suggested," said Collins. San Francisco Fed President Mary Daly and Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari are scheduled to make remarks later on Friday as the Fed's "blackout" period on post-meeting policy comments lifted. The central bank's decision to hold its benchmark overnight interest rate steady this week was unanimous. Collins does not currently have a vote on rate policy under a Fed system that rotates votes among the 12 reserve bank presidents year by year. New projections issued at the end of a two-day policy meeting on Wednesday showed 12 of 19 Fed officials expect one additional quarter point rate increase this year.

---

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Michelle Bowman, Susan Collins, Collins, Mary Daly, Neel Kashkari, Bowman, Howard Schneider, Paul Simao, Andrea Ricci Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, . Federal, Independent Community Bankers of, Maine Bankers Association, Boston, Fed, San Francisco Fed, Minneapolis Fed, Thomson Locations: Independent Community Bankers of Colorado