Bernanke To Meet With Soldiers At Fort Bliss

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke will be hosting a town hall meeting at Fort Bliss in El Paso with soldiers and their families and greet military personnel returning from combat.

Bernanke’s trip to Fort Bliss is his first visit to an Army installation. It will also be his first visit to the state after GOP presidential candidate and Texas Gov. Rick Perry said earlier this year Texans would treat him “ugly” if he continued lowering interest rates.

Perry and other critics say that policy is akin to recklessly printing money. Another Texan seeking the presidency, U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, favors abolishing the Federal Reserve.

Federal officials said the visit is part of outreach efforts by Bernanke but wouldn’t say if it was planned before Perry’s comments.