Fed Forward Act Mandates Public Review Every 5 Years, Increases Fed Meetings to Every 8 Weeks

The newly proposed Fed Forward Act of 2025 is straightforward: it’s a major push to formalize and boost the transparency of the Federal Reserve. The bill specifically focuses on communication, accountability, and the frequency of policy review, aiming to make the central bank’s actions more predictable and understandable for everyone from Wall Street traders to people managing their 401(k)s.

The New Rhythm of Monetary Policy

The biggest change for the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC)—the group that sets interest rates—is the meeting schedule. Currently, the FOMC is required to meet at least four times a year. This bill (Sec. 3) bumps that up significantly, requiring them to meet once every eight weeks, which translates to about six times a year. For the average person, this means the Fed will be reacting to the economy more frequently, potentially leading to smoother, less surprising policy shifts. More importantly, the bill mandates a new communication standard for every meeting: they must release a public policy statement immediately, hold a press conference with the Chair on the same day, and release the official meeting minutes within 21 days (a shorter window than current practice).

Think of it this way: right now, the Fed’s communication can sometimes feel like a slow-drip faucet. This bill turns it into a steady stream. For small business owners deciding whether to take out a loan, or for families trying to gauge the housing market, this increased flow of immediate, high-level information reduces uncertainty. When the Fed speaks, markets listen, and when markets have more clarity, the overall economy tends to be less jumpy.

Mandatory Check-ups for the Framework

Beyond the day-to-day meeting changes, the bill formalizes a major accountability measure: the Monetary Policy Framework Review (Sec. 4). The Fed must now conduct a public review of its strategy, tools, and communication methods at least once every five years. This is a big deal because it forces the Fed to step back and publicly assess if its entire approach to managing inflation and employment is still working. For taxpayers and workers, this mandatory review ensures the people steering the economic ship aren't just relying on decades-old maps; they have to publicly prove their methods are up-to-date and effective.

The Financial System’s Report Card

Finally, the Fed Forward Act requires the Board of Governors to release a public Financial Stability Report every 180 days (Sec. 5). This report must summarize how the Fed assesses the resilience of the U.S. financial system and provide a current evaluation. This is essentially a semi-annual public report card on the health of banks, markets, and the overall system. If you’re worried about another 2008-style crisis, this report is designed to give both the public and Congress earlier, clearer warnings about systemic risks. It formalizes a process that helps keep the financial system—and your savings—safer by making the Fed publicly accountable for assessing potential dangers twice a year.