Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke speaks during a news conference, Wednesday, June 20, 2012, in Washington. Bernanke says the Federal Reserve is open to purchasing more Treasury bonds to lower long-term interest rates and boost growth if the economy worsens. “If we don’t see further improvement in the labor market, we will be prepared to take additional steps if appropriate,” Bernanke said. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)