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Good morning. I'm very pleased to welcome you to the second annual Financial Inclusion Conference hosted by the Federal Reserve Board.1 Last year, at our inaugural event, I underscored that financial inclusion is essential for creating an economy that works for everyone, with innovation in the financial sector playing an important role.2 This year's conference builds upon increased engagement across both the public and private sectors, with a collective effort to leverage technology to broaden financial service access and improve the financial well-being of consumers and small businesses. The Federal Reserve will continue to play an important role in these efforts through its research, community engagement, and regulatory approach. This work supports our ability to understand and communicate the state of financial inclusion, how banks support access to affordable financial services, and the role that our policies and practices play in promoting inclusion. Progress to Date Banks of all sizes are working to improve access to financial services for all Americans. As I've noted in the past, the U.S. banking system is well-positioned to bring consumers and small businesses into the financial mainstream by providing access to safe, fair, and responsive financial products and services.3 These efforts greatly benefit f Fed's Bowman does not comment on monetary policy or the economy in her opening remarks to the Financial Inclusion Conference.