FAREWELL ADDRESS FROM THE CHAIR OF THE FEDERAL RESERVE

My fellow Americans, Tonight my term ends, and I stand before you for the last time as Chair of the Federal Reserve. When I took this office America was exceptional, growing at a pace this nation had not seen in a generation, and it was an honor to steward an economy so full of promise. Halfway through my term inflation began to climb, and the easy years gave way to hard choices, but together we drove prices from 5% down to below 1% through your sacrifice, your savings, and your patience at rates that tested every family in this country. I fought the tariff bill with every tool this office permits and I lost, and now the United Kingdom and Japan have answered as I warned, inflation has climbed to 2.3%, and my successor will be forced to raise rates further. To the one who follows me I offer only this: hold the line, choose honesty over popularity, and remember that the dollar belongs to the American people, not politicians. Ben Harrison Outgoing Chair, Federal Reserve