The following is a statement by Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City President Esther George explaining her dissenting vote at the FOMC’s July 30-31, 2019, meeting: “I dissented with the decision to lower the target range for the federal funds rate. In my view, incoming economic data and the outlook for economic activity over the medium term warranted no change in the policy rate. The moderation of economic growth in 2019 is in line with my outlook that calls for a gradual decline to a trend level over the medium term. With moderate growth, record low unemployment, and a benign inflation outlook, maintaining the ... (full story)