Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell addressed the House Financial Services Committee on Wednesday morning, also discussing the Fed’s ongoing efforts to manage inflation and the timeline for potentially lowering interest rates.
Powell’s testimony highlighted the central bank’s target inflation goal of 2% and the need for further data analysis before making any policy changes. The Fed Chair is also set to testify again today in front of the Senate Banking Committee.
During an interview with Yahoo Finance, Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), a member of the Senate Banking Committee, shared her plans to question Powell on several topics, including crypto, quantitative easing and its impact on inflation and the real-world effects of inflation on consumers.
Lummis expressed concerns about the rising costs of essential goods and services, such as gasoline, groceries, and housing, and how these increases are eroding consumer purchasing power.
Lummis Advocates for Clear Cryptocurrency Regulation
In the cryptocurrency domain, she emphasized that Bitcoin would be fine. Furthermore, Lummis discussed the regulatory environment for Bitcoin, advocating for a more defined regulatory framework. She noted the approval of eleven Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) earlier this year as a step toward legitimizing Bitcoin investments
Lummis also mentioned the upcoming Bitcoin halving event in April, which is expected to reduce the production of new Bitcoins, potentially affecting its value.
She criticized the current regulatory approach, which she perceives as based on enforcement actions rather than clear legislation. She argued for the need for Congress to establish a coherent regulatory framework for the cryptocurrency industry to protect consumers and support innovation.
During her discussion, Lummis did not endorse any particular political viewpoint on the regulation of Bitcoin but highlighted the necessity for legislative action to provide clarity and security for investors in the cryptocurrency space.
