The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act directed the author to conduct a one-time audit of the emergency loan programs and other assistance authorized by the Federal Reserve Board (FRB) during the recent financial crisis. This report examines the emergency actions taken by the FRB from Dec. 1, 2007, through July 21, 2010. For each of these actions, the objectives included a review of: (1) the basis and purpose for its authorizaiton, as well as accounting and financial reporting internal contrls; (2) the use, selection, and payment of vendors; (3) management of conflicts of interest; (4) policies in place to secure loan repayment; and (5) the treatment of program participants. Charts and tables. This is a print on demand report.

"The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reformand Consumer Protection Act directedGAO to conduct a one-time audit of theemergency loan programs and otherassistance authorized by the Board ofGovernors of the Federal ReserveSystem (Federal Reserve Board)during the recent financial crisis. Thisreport examines the emergencyactions taken by the Federal ReserveBoard from December 1, 2007, throughJuly 21, 2010. For each of theseactions, where relevant, GAO'sobjectives included a review of (1) thebasis and purpose for its authorization,as well as accounting and financialreporting internal controls; (2) the use,selection, and payment of vendors;(3) management of conflicts of interest;(4) policies in place to secure loanrepayment; and (5) the treatment ofprogram participants. To meet theseobjectives, GAO reviewed programdocumentation, analyzed programdata, and interviewed officials from theFederal Reserve Board and ReserveBanks (Federal Reserve System)."

"Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act directed GAO to conduct a one-time audit of the emergency loan programs and other assistance authorized by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Federal Reserve Board) during the recent financial crisis. This testimony summarizes the results of GAO's July 2011 report (GAO-11-696) examining the emergency actions taken by the Federal Reserve Board from December 1, 2007, through July 21, 2010. For these actions, where relevant, this statement addresses (1) accounting and financial reporting internal controls; (2) the use, selection, and payment of vendors; (3) management of conflicts of interest; (4) policies in place to secure loan repayment; and (5) the treatment of program participants. To meet these objectives, GAO reviewed program documentation, analyzed program data, and interviewed officials from the Federal Reserve Board and Reserve Banks (Federal Reserve System). "

The Federal Reserve (Fed) has been central in the policy response to the financial turmoil that began in August 2007. It has sharply increased reserves to the banking system through open market operations and lowered the federal funds rate and discount rate on several occasions. Through new credit facilities, the Fed first expanded the scale of its lending to the banking system and then extended direct lending to non-bank financial firms. The latter marked the first since the Great Depression that firms that are not banks or members of the Federal Reserve System have been allowed to borrow directly from the Fed. This book explores the financial crisis and Federal Reserve Policy responses with a focus on the opportunities that exist to strengthen policies and processes for managing emergency assistance.