The US Treasury department has unveiled a revamped financial rescue plan to cleanse up to $500 billion in spoiled assets from banks' books and support $1 trillion in new lending through an expanded Federal Reserve programme.
The renamed "Financial Stability Plan," rolled out by Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner at the US Treasury, will also devote $50 billion in federal rescue funds to try to stem home foreclosures and soften the impact of the deep housing crisis now afflicting the US economy.
The Treasury said a public-private investment fund will be established, seeded with government money, to leverage private capital so that so-called toxic assets can be sponged out of the faltering banking system. The hope is that that will enable banks to resume lending.
Mr Geithner acknowledged that deep scepticism has developed over the fairness and efficiency of a $700 billion bank bailout program approved by Congress in October.
He said leaders of some financial institutions that have received money had squandered the good faith that is needed to make the bank rescue effective.
"The spectacle of huge amounts of taxpayer money being provided to the same institutions that helped cause the crisis, with limited transparency and oversight, added to public distrust," Mr Geithner said.
Reuters