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NEW YORK – Michael Barr, the Federal Reserve’s regulatory chief, emphasized the importance of banks utilizing the Central bank‘s discount window liquidity facility without hesitation. Barr, who serves as the Fed’s vice chair for supervision, stated that using the discount window should be considered a normal practice for banks to address their funding needs. He noted that the Fed is working to eliminate the stigma associated with accessing this key lending tool.

Traditionally, the discount window has been seen as a source of emergency funding for banks in times of liquidity challenges. However, Barr highlighted that using the discount window should not be viewed as a sign of financial distress. Despite efforts by the Fed to encourage discount window usage, concerns over the stigma surrounding it have persisted.

In response to increased stress in 2023, the Fed is preparing to propose new bank liquidity rules, with Barr indicating that banks may be required to maintain a minimum amount of readily available liquidity with pre-positioned collateral at the discount window. These rules are expected to be introduced later this year or early next year.

Since 2023, over $1 trillion in additional collateral has been pledged to the discount window, demonstrating banks’ readiness to utilize this facility. Barr also pointed out that banks have been signing up for the Fed’s Standing Repo Facility, allowing firms to exchange Treasuries for cash. Overall, Barr encouraged banks to incorporate the Fed’s facilities in their liquidity planning and practices.

Barr’s comments differed from the perspective of Fed Governor Michelle Bowman, who expressed concerns about non-emergency usage of the discount window and the potential impact of required collateral posting. Bowman cautioned that such requirements could have unintended consequences.

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