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[1/3] U.S. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris stand on stage together after delivering remarks at the DNC 2023 Winter Meeting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S., February 3, 2023. Biden could lose crucial votes if he were to drop Harris, who is both the first Black and Asian-American U.S. vice president. While the vice president has disappointed some inside her party, Democrats see opportunity in the 2024 race. He leans on her a lot," said Cedric Richmond, a former congressman and former senior adviser in Biden's White House. "That was not her assignment," said the third former White House official, referring to reducing migrant crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border broadly.

It's something that the Treasury and regulators did in the depths of the 2008 global financial crisis, but regulatory reforms in 2010 required a streamlined approval from Congress. Meanwhile, hardline Republicans oppose any increase in the current $250,000 Federal Deposit Insurance Corp insurance limit. Yellen explained to the U.S. Senate on March 16 that there would be no guarantee for deposits in banks not deemed a systemic threat, spooking community banks. A temporary systemwide deposit guarantee is needed to stop the bleeding," Ackman said on Twitter after Yellen's testimony to a Senate committee on Wednesday. Yellen is due to testify later on Thursday before the U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government.

While big banks have dominated headlines, the country's 4,258 community banks, which are more risk-averse, account for more than 90% of all chartered banks. Her comments marked a shift in emphasis to include community banks that were not mentioned in her earlier testimony. "The community banks in this country, we know, are strong and resilient. Yellen's shift to include community banks "was certainly better, it was an attempt for her to kind of restate what she was saying and acknowledging the importance of the community banks," Williams said. Community banks play an important political role.

Fed Chairman Jerome Powell sought to reassure investors about the soundness of the banking system, saying that the management of Silicon Valley Bank "failed badly," but that the bank's collapse did not indicate wider weaknesses in the banking system. "These are not weaknesses that are running broadly through the banking system," he said, adding that the takeover of Credit Suisse seemed to have been a positive outcome. The Federal Open Market Committee policy statement also said the U.S. banking system is "sound and resilient." The much-anticipated rate cut by the Fed, which had delivered eight previous rate hikes in the past year, sought to balance the risk of rampant inflation with the threat of instability in the banking system. The banking sector has been in turmoil after California regulators on March 10 closed Silicon Valley Bank in the largest U.S. bank failure since the 2008 financial crisis.

The latest move to restore calm to restive regional bank stocks came as Pacific Western Bank (PACW.O), one of the regional lenders caught up in the market volatility, said it had raised $1.4 billion from investment firm Atlas SP Partners. While that deal brought some respite to battered banking stocks, First Republic (FRC.N) remains firmly in the spotlight. For now, the rescue of Credit Suisse appears to have calmed the worst fears of systemic contagion, boosting shares of European banks (.SX7P) and U.S. lenders (.SPXBK). Reuters Graphics Reuters Graphics'HEAD IN SAND'The wipeout of Credit Suisse's Additional Tier-1 (AT1) bondholders has sent shockwaves through bank debt markets. Seeking to boost confidence among investors rattled by its $3 billion Credit Suisse rescue, UBS said on Wednesday it would buy back 2.75 billion euros ($2.96 billion) worth of debt it issued less than week ago.

☆ Exclusive: Republican U.S. Senator Rick Scott, Democrat Warren unveil Fed oversight bill
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( David Morgan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Republican Rick Scott and Democrat Elizabeth Warren blamed the collapse of the two banks on regulatory failures at the U.S. central bank, which has operated up to now with an internal inspector general who reports to the Fed board. "Our legislation fixes that by establishing a presidentially-appointed, Senate-confirmed inspector general at the Fed, like every other major government agency," Scott said in a joint release with Warren. Warren said this month's banking upheavals "have underscored the urgent need for a truly independent inspector general to hold Fed officials accountable for any lapses or wrongdoing." She sits on both the Senate Banking Committee and the Senate Finance Committee, and chairs subcommittees of both panels. Reporting by David Morgan and Heather Timmons; Editing by Scott Malone and Jonathan OatisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Scranton to Biden: Love ya, Joe. But a 2024 run?
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Jarrett Renshaw | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

[1/6] A photograph of Jim Connors, 76, former Mayor of Scranton, with U.S. President Joe Biden hangs in his home in Scranton, Pennsylvania, U.S., March 10, 2023. Despite those strong ties, interviews with about two dozen Scranton voters show many harbor deep concerns about Biden running again. Many Scranton residents say they might back Biden again in 2024, albeit without much enthusiasm. Biden is also supporting a plan to build a new rail line from Scranton to New York City. “So, when I think about President Biden, I don't just think about President Biden being our hometown son," Cognetti said.

☆ US Sen. Scott pushes for new Fed inspector general, slams Fed over bank regulation,
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( David Morgan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Senator Rick Scott said on Monday he will introduce legislation to create an independent inspector general to oversee the Federal Reserve, as he called the U.S. central bank "unable or unwilling to properly regulate" banks in a letter to Fed Chair Jerome Powell. "I am proposing legislation to establish a presidentially-appointed and Senate-confirmed inspector general for the Federal Reserve," Scott told Powell in the letter. The Federal Reserve is responsible for supervising - monitoring, inspecting and examining - certain financial institutions to ensure that they comply with rules and regulations, and that they operate in a safe and sound manner. Scott's legislation stems from concern in Congress that the Federal Reserve's current inspector general is not independent enough to serve as a check on the central bank. Scott also urged the Fed chief to use the central bank's policy meeting this week to examine the bank failures and identify accountable Fed personnel.

Biden will be in the capital Ottawa on Thursday and Friday to address Parliament and meet with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Despite the unity over Ukraine, the U.S. is less happy with Canada over its defense spending, which has long failed to meet the 2% target of GDP set by NATO members. But Canada's defense spending is around 1.3% of GDP, well below the NATO target of 2%. David Cohen, the U.S. ambassador to Canada, told CTV that defense spending would be "a topic of ongoing conversation ... because we do need more dollars for defense." Trudeau is likely make a commitment of sorts on Haiti but less than Washington is pressing for, said a source briefed on the summit.

"No one is above the law," Biden said in the statement, "and strengthening accountability is an important deterrent to prevent mismanagement in the future." The current law "limits the administration’s authority to hold executives responsible," he said. Specifically, Biden is asking Congress to give the Federal Depository Insurance Corp greater authority to claw back compensation, "including gains from stock sales – from executives at failed banks like Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank," the White House said in a second statement. "The President urges Congress to expand the FDIC’s authorities to expressly cover cases like this" the White House statement said, citing Becker's stock sales. The president is also asking Congress to give the FDIC more authority to ban bank executives from the industry when their banks go into receivership, and to fine bank managers whose banks fail.

☆ Biden says failed banks' executives should be fined, banned, stripped of compensation
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

"No one is above the law," Biden said in the statement, "and strengthening accountability is an important deterrent to prevent mismanagement in the future." The current law "limits the administration’s authority to hold executives responsible," he said. Specifically, Biden is asking Congress to give the Federal Depository Insurance Corp. greater authority to claw back compensation, "including gains from stock sales – from executives at failed banks like Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank," the White House said in a second statement. The president is also asking Congress to give the FDIC more authority to ban bank executives from the industry when their banks go into receivership, and fine bank managers whose banks fail. Reporting by Jeff Mason and Costas Pitas; writing by Susan Heavey and Heather Timmons; Editing by Chizu NomiyamaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Tech pressure, Yellen everywhere: How Washington scrambled as SVB collapsed
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Andrea Shalal | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

Yellen heads to the White House, Brainard meets with her staff and holds Zoom calls in her wood-paneled office in the West Wing. Treasury staff hustle to get Yellen on CBS News' "Face the Nation" program on Sunday, in an attempt to reassure markets. White House officials draft news releases with various scenarios, uncertain until shortly before 6 p.m. if an acquisition can still happen. As he leaves Delaware to return to the White House, Biden tells reporters he will make a statement on Monday. Treasury and White House officials reach out to members of Congress and their staffs throughout the evening to explain the plan, with discussions continuing into Monday.

Traders currently see a 50% chance of no rate hike at that meeting, with rate cuts priced in for the second half of the year. Shares of First Republic Bank (FRC.N) tumbled more than 60% as news of fresh financing failed to reassure investors, and so did Western Alliance Bancorp (WAL.N) and PacWest Bancorp (PACW.O). U.S. bank regulators sought to reassure nervous customers on Monday who lined up outside SVB's Santa Clara, California, headquarters, offering coffee and donuts. Regulators also moved swiftly to close New York's Signature Bank SBNY.O, which had come under pressure in recent days. In China, where SVB was the main go-to foreign bank for the majority of start-ups, entrepreneurs and venture funds were also scrambling for alternative funding.

SVB's meltdown sparked a partisan battle in Washington on Monday, with Democrats arguing that a Trump-era change to bank oversight rules undermined the stability of regional banks. In the money markets, indicators of credit risk in the U.S. and euro zone banking systems edged up. [1/3] U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the banking crisis after the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) and Signature Bank, in the Roosevelt Room at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S. March 13, 2023. On Monday morning, U.S. bank regulators sought to reassure nervous customers who lined up outside SVB's Santa Clara, California, headquarters, offering coffee and donuts. A furious race to reprice interest rate expectations also sent waves through markets as investors bet the Fed will be reluctant to hike next week.

Biden said his administration's actions over the weekend meant "Americans can have confidence that the banking system is safe", while also promising stiffer regulation after the biggest U.S. bank failure since the 2008 financial crisis. Shares in U.S. banking giants JP Morgan Chase (JPM.N), Morgan Stanley (MS.N) and Bank of America (BAC.N) nevertheless weakened. But your second thought is, how big was that crisis, how big were the risks that this step had to be taken?" U.S. regulators stepped in on Sunday after the collapse of SVB, which had seen a run after a big bond portfolio hit. [1/3] U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the banking crisis after the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) and Signature Bank, in the Roosevelt Room at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S. March 13, 2023.

☆ Biden vows new bank rules after SVB collapse, cites Trump rollback
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Trevor Hunnicutt | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"Americans can have confidence that the banking system is safe. The managers of the banks will be fired, Biden noted, and investors will lose money. Biden also promised new regulation after the biggest U.S. bank failure since the 2008 financial crisis. The U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation on Monday said it had transferred all Silicon Valley Bank (SIVB.O) deposits to a newly created bridge bank and that all depositors would have access to their money beginning Monday morning. Silicon Valley bank had $209 billion in assets at the end of last year.

☆ Biden to defend U.S. banking system after SVB, Signature collapse
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Simon Lewis | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

WASHINGTON, March 13 (Reuters) - President Joe Biden will on Monday address a banking crisis that led U.S. regulators to step in with a series of emergency measures after the collapses of Silicon Valley Bank (SIVB.O) and Signature Bank <SBNY.O> threatened to trigger a broader crisis. Biden on Sunday hinted at new regulation of big banks after the biggest U.S. bank failure since the 2008 financial crisis, but faces a divided Congress unlikely to approve tougher new rules. Biden will give remarks on Monday morning on additional plans to keep the economy on track amid a crisis sparked by the sudden collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) last week, he added. POTENTIAL BANK CHANGESIn coming days, rules introduced after U.S. banks sparked a global financial crisis in 2008 with aggressive mortgage lending may come under the spotlight. Silicon Valley bank had $209 billion in assets at the end of last year.

WASHINGTON/SINGAPORE, March 13 (Reuters) - U.S. authorities launched emergency measures on Sunday to shore up confidence in the banking system after the failure of Silicon Valley Bank (SIVB.O) threatened to trigger a broader financial crisis. Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), a mainstay for the startup economy, was a product of the decades-long era of cheap money, with unique risks that made it especially vulnerable. With the Fed poised to continue raising interest rates, investors said the financial system may not be fully out of the woods just yet. Goldman Sachs' analysts said they no longer expect it to raise rates at that meeting, amid the stress in the banking sector. A senior U.S. Treasury official said the actions taken would protect depositors, while providing additional support to the broader banking system, but officials and regulators were continuing to monitor financial system stability.

☆ Biden to defend US banking system after SVB, Signature collapse
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Simon Lewis | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON, March 13 (Reuters) - President Joe Biden will on Monday address a banking crisis that led U.S. regulators to step in with a series of emergency measures after the collapses of Silicon Valley Bank (SIVB.O) and Signature Bank threatened to trigger a broader systemic crisis. Biden on Sunday hinted at new regulation of big banks after the biggest U.S. bank failure since the 2008 financial crisis, but faces a divided Congress unlikely to approve tougher new rules. Biden would give remarks on Monday morning on additional plans to keep the economy on track amid a crisis sparked by the sudden collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) last week, he added. Rules introduced after U.S. banks sparked a global financial crisis in 2008 by aggressive mortgage lending may come under the spotlight in coming days. Silicon Valley bank had $209 billion in assets at the end of last year.

Overall, the budget would increase federal spending in the twelve months starting in October to $6.8 trillion from the $6.2 trillion expected to be spent in the current fiscal year. Biden's budget proposal faces stiff opposition from Republican lawmakers emboldened by winning control of the House of Representatives in November's midterm elections. Biden, asked for areas of possible compromise with Republicans, told reporters at the White House: "We'll see what their budget is." Maya MacGuineas, president of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget advocacy group, said the budget did not go nearly far enough to rein in dangerous debt levels. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a non-partisan Washington think tank, said Biden deserved credit for for putting forward $3 trillion in deficit reduction.

☆ White House will not interfere with Fed, but hopes people will 'take a breath'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Andrea Shalal | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"The White House isn't going to interfere with the Fed's management," the official said, reiterating the independence of the U.S. central bank. The White House is reliant on Powell, a moderate Republican, to steer the economy to a soft landing as Democratic President Joe Biden gears up for a second presidential campaign that will focus on job creation and new investment. Tuesday's hearing highlighted the gap between the Fed's focus on achieving its 2% inflation target and the White House and progressive Democrats' push for more, better-paying jobs. "The Fed is independent and we do not comment on their policy," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters, when asked about Powell's remarks Tuesday. White House economists see recent moderation in inflation and strong jobs data as "evidence that the president's economic plan is working," she said.

☆ Biden budget would cut deficit by nearly $3 trillion, White House says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON, March 8 (Reuters) - President Joe Biden's budget proposal will aim to cut U.S. budget deficits by nearly $3 trillion over 10 years, the White House said on Wednesday, far more than the $2 trillion Biden had said he would aim for earlier. "That’s nearly a $6 trillion difference between the president’s budget and Congressional Republicans' agenda,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said, saying the opposition’s plans would add $3 trillion to the debt. Biden, who intends to unveil his budget plan on Thursday, had floated the $2 trillion deficit reduction figure during his State of the Union address in February. "We see this as a value statement" about the future of the country, Karine Jean-Pierre said. Ultimately, it will be up to Congress, where Republicans control the House of Representatives, to write related budget legislation.

☆ Analysis: Biden's focus on deficit in budget is targeted at Republicans
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Trevor Hunnicutt | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Biden's increasing emphasis on the deficit now doesn't mean the White House sees an imminent crisis looming from the nation's $32 trillion debt. Instead, the White House hopes to draw a sharp contrast with Republican threats to refuse to raise the debt limit without sharp spending cuts. Including this fiscal plan in Biden's agenda can help shore up his economic credibility before his expected 2024 re-election campaign, the White House believes. That doesn't mean that what the White House is proposing is going to happen, of course. Reuters GraphicsNearly six in ten people told Pew Research Center in January that reducing the deficit should be a top Biden administration priority.

☆ Factbox: What's in Biden's budget: taxes on buybacks, rail safety, childcare
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Buybacks Biden plans to propose quadrupling the 1% tax on stock buybacks that took effect in January, to encourage companies to invest in their growth instead of boosting shareholders. The White House has said taxing buybacks levels a distortion in the tax system. Rail safetyThe budget is expected to include millions in new funding for railroad safety measures after a series of high-profile accidents and derailments. Billionaire minimum income taxBiden is expected to reiterate his call for a 20% minimum tax on households worth more than $100 million. The White House refers to it as the "billionaire minimum income tax."

☆ White House will not interfere with Fed, but hopes it will 'take a breath'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

"The White House isn't going to interfere with the Fed's management," the official said. "But we're dealing with one month of data and people need to sit back and take a breath." "The Fed is independent and we do not comment on their policy," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said when asked about Powell's remarks Tuesday. She said President Joe Biden "believes that it's important to give the Fed the space needed to make decisions on monetary policy." White House economists believe recent strong jobs data is "evidence that the president's economic plan is working," she said.

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