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publicans have been critical of its bond purchases.
• Here are some of the options for Fed action:
• -- BOND BUYING
• The biggest step would be a third round of bond purchases. In two previous bond-buying programs, the Fed bought more than $2 trillion of Treasurys and mortgage-backed securities after the 2008 financial crisis.
• In a speech last month in Jackson Hole, Wyo., Bernanke cited research showing that the bond purchases had created 2 million jobs and accelerated economic growth. Still, he said persistently weak hiring remains "a grave concern" that inflicts "enormous suffering."
• This time, any new bond-purchase program might be open-ended. Three regional Fed bank presidents have expressed openness to a program in which the Fed would buy bonds until the economy improved significantly and unemployment fell consistently -- as long as inflation remained tame.
• None of those officials now have a vote on the Fed's policy committee. But they take part in the committee discussions that would allow them to push the idea.
• Skeptics caution that further bond buying might provide little benefit because rates are already near record lows. Some critics also warn that more bond purchases raise the risk of higher inflation later.
• -- INTEREST-RATE TIMETABLE
• The Fed has kept its benchmark rate at a record low near zero since December 2008. In January, it said it planned to hold rates down at least through late 2014.
• The Fed could extend its timetable by six months, a sign that it expects the economy to stay weak for three more years. The idea would be to force down borrowing rates by assuring investors that short-term rates will likely stay super-low even longer than previously thought.
• -- RESERVE INTEREST
• The Fed has discussed the possibility of trimming the scant 0.25 percent interest it pays banks on their excess reserves. If banks earned less interest on this money, they might be more inclined to step up lending. But the minutes of the Fed's last policy meeting indicated that only "a couple" of officials favored this move.
• -- UNEMPLOYMENT PEG
• One other possibility that appears under discussion would be linking the Fed's decisions on rate increases to the unemployment rate or some other gauge of economic health. Charles Evans, head of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, has said the Fed should consider pledging to keep rates at record lows until the unemployment rate drops to 7 percent as long as inflation stays low.

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