Posted: Mar 20, 2010 11:14 AM by Associated Press
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke is making a fresh pitch for the Fed to retain its oversight of small banks.
Bernanke says that what the Fed learns from overseeing those banks helps it assess the overall health of the entire U.S. financial system.
The Fed chief is weighing in against a Senate proposal that would scale back the Fed's banking duties.
Bernanke's remarks came in a speech Saturday at the Independent Community Bankers of America's meeting in Orlando, Fla.