Cleveland Federal Reserve official Hammack said current economic data do not support cutting interest rates at the Federal Open Market Committee’s September meeting. She told reporters on 21 August that she "wouldn’t see a case for a September cut" given present conditions. Hammack added that the Fed’s benchmark rate is already near a neutral setting and only a "small distance" remains to reach that level, implying no need for additional stimulus at this time. The policymaker highlighted the unemployment rate as one of the most informative gauges of economic health and said she sees no clear signs of a significant downturn in the broader economy.