斯蒂芬·米兰，被提名为董事会成员美联储周四，他发誓要捍卫央行的独立性，但表示他不打算辞去最高经济顾问的职务唐纳德·特朗普总统如果确认为美联储的角色。
在参议院住房、银行和城市事务委员会(Senate committee on housing，banking and urban affairs)长达一小时的确认听证会上，两党参议员都肯定了美联储政治独立的重要性。
民主党参议员对米兰维护美联储独立性的誓言表示怀疑，而共和党议员则赞扬米兰在这个问题上的承诺，并似乎准备支持他的提名。
民主党人指着特朗普长达数月的压力运动敦促美联储降低利率以及Miran在白宫的顾问角色。
特朗普最近转移到火上董事会成员丽莎·库克要求特朗普试图驱逐她，称该决定违反了她作为独立联邦机构员工的法律保护。特朗普表示，他因对库克的抵押贷款欺诈指控而将其撤职。
马萨诸塞州参议员伊丽莎白·沃伦。，抨击米兰，称他的提名表明特朗普急于“安置他的走狗，这样我们就有了一个利用其政策取悦总统但不能信任其控制通胀的美联储。”
为了测试米兰是否独立于总统，沃伦在多个场合问米兰，特朗普是否已经输掉了2020年的总统大选。作为回应，米兰说乔·拜登已经“被国会认证为美国总统”，但米兰拒绝说特朗普已经被击败。
如果得到证实，Miran表示，他计划不带薪休假，不再担任白宫高级经济顾问，而不是辞职。Miran说，由于他在美联储董事会的任期将持续四个月，Miran是在“听取律师的建议”后做出决定的。
Miran已被提名填补美联储理事Adrianna Kugler提前退休产生的空缺。Miran说，在Miran完成Kugler的剩余任期后，特朗普可以提名Miran完成整个任期，Miran将在获得该角色后辞职。
继续担任白宫雇员的计划招致了民主党参议员的尖锐批评。“你的独立性已经受到损害。严格来说，你将是美国总统的雇员，同时也是美联储董事会的成员。这太荒谬了，”D-RI参议员杰克·里德说。
委员会中的共和党人赞扬了米兰对美联储独立性的承诺。
R-S.C .参议员蒂姆·斯科特(Tim Scott)表示，米兰的专业知识将“在这一关键时刻加强美联储。”
“你对我很清楚，对我很一致，对我很诚实，”斯科特说。
R-s-d参议员Mike Rounds称赞Miran“非常适合这个职位。”
当Rounds问Miran“总统游说美联储是否公平”时，Miran说他欢迎其他人的投入，作为暴露自己不同观点的一种方式。
“总统有权对货币政策发表看法，任何对此感兴趣的人也一样。我欢迎每个人分享他们的观点，”米兰说。
Miran此前对美联储提出了尖锐的批评。去年，Miran与人合著了一篇报告呼吁对央行进行“根本性改革”，称美联储的结构“助长了导致重大货币政策错误的群体思维”。
如果得到确认，米兰将成为特朗普在美联储七名成员中任命的第三人。如果特朗普成功罢免库克并任命一名替代者，他任命的人将占美联储董事会的大多数，其成员帮助设定国家利率并监督其他央行职责，如金融体系的监管。
在美联储发生冲突之前，特朗普数月来一直指责美联储及其主席杰罗姆·鲍威尔(Jerome Powell)拒绝听从他降低利率的呼吁。自美联储上次调整利率以来，已经过去了五次会议和八个月。
上个月，鲍威尔说美联储将“谨慎行事”，但他暗示了降息的可能性，似乎表明对就业增长放缓的担忧大于物价上涨。
政策转变可能会使美联储与特朗普降低利率的愿望保持一致，尽管预计央行将选择小幅降息25个基点，而不是特朗普寻求的更大幅度降息。美联储将在本月晚些时候就利率水平做出决定。
Senators grill Trump's Fed nominee over political independence
Stephen Miran, a nominee to serve on the board of theFederal Reserve, on Thursday vowed to safeguard central bank independence but said that he does not plan to resign from his position as a top economic advisor toPresident Donald Trumpif confirmed for the Fed role.
The remarks came as senators of both major parties affirmed the importance of the political independence of the Fed during an hourslong confirmation hearing before the Senate committee on housing, banking and urban affairs.
Democratic senators voiced skepticism about Miran's vow to uphold the independence of the Fed, while Republican members applauded Miran's commitment on the issue and appeared poised to lend support to his nomination.
Democrats pointed to Trump's monthslongpressure campaignurging the Fed to lower interest rates as well as Miran's advisory role within the White House.
Trump recentlymoved to fireboard member Lisa Cook, whosuedTrump over her attempted ouster, saying the decision violated her legal protections as an employee at the independent federal agency. Trump said he removed Cook over mortgage fraud allegations against her.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., slammed Miran, saying his nomination shows that Trump is eager to "install his lackeys so we have a Fed that uses its policies to please the president but can't be trusted to keep inflation under control."
In an effort to test Miran's independence from the president, Warren asked Miran on multiple occasions whether Trump had lost the 2020 presidential election. In response, Miran said Joe Biden had been "certified by Congress as president of the United States," but Miran declined to say Trump had been defeated.
If confirmed, Miran said he plans to take an unpaid leave of absence from his role as a top economic advisor in the White House rather than resign. Miran reached the decision after "advice from counsel," since his term on the Fed board would last four months, Miran said.
Miran has been nominated for a vacancy created by the early retirement of Fed board member Adrianna Kugler. After Miran fulfills the remainder of Kugler's term, Trump could then nominate Miran for a full term, and Miran would resign after attaining that role, Miran said.
The plans to remain a White House employee drew sharp criticism from Democratic senators. "Your independence has already been compromised. You'll be technically an employee of the President of the United States while a member of the Federal Reserve board. That's ridiculous," said Senator Jack Reed, D-RI.
Republicans on the committee applauded Miran's commitment to the independence of the Fed.
Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., said Miran's expertise would "strengthen the Fed at this critical moment."
"You've been clear with me, consistent with me and honest with me," Scott said.
Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., praised Miran as "very qualified for this position."
When Rounds asked Miran whether "it's fair for the president to lobby the Fed," Miran said he welcomes input from others as a means of exposing himself to different viewpoints.
"The president is entitled to a view on monetary policy, as is anyone interested in the subject. And I welcome everybody sharing their views," Miran said.
Miran has previously voiced strident criticism of the Fed. Last year, Miran co-authored areportcalling for a "fundamental overhaul" of the central bank, saying the Fed's structure has "facilitated groupthink that has led to significant monetary-policy errors."
If confirmed, Miran would mark the third Trump appointee on the seven-member Fed board. If Trump prevails in removing Cook and installs a replacement, his appointees would make up a majority of the Fed board, whose members help set the nation's interest rates and oversee other central bank responsibilities, such as regulation of the financial system.
The clash over the Fed comes after Trump railed for months against the central bank and its Chair Jerome Powell for declining to heed his call for lower interest rates. Five meetings and eight months have elapsed since the Fed last adjusted interest rates.
Last month, Powellsaidthe Fed would "proceed carefully" but he hinted at the possibility of an interest rate cut, appearing to indicate greater concern for flagging employment growth than rising prices.
The policy shift may align the Fed with Trump's desire for lower interest rates, though the central bank is expected to opt for a modest quarter-point reduction rather than the larger cut Trump has sought. The Fed will issue a decision on the level of interest rates later this month.
