The incident did not affect critical operations of the Federal Reserve system.

BBC: Federal Reserve

Campaigners, including Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) and Transport 2000, claimed the route will cut through the legally protected countryside and affect the ancient woodland and a nature reserve.

BBC: Relief road land buying approved

Earlier this week, lawmakers voted by a veto-proof majority to stop filling the nation's Strategic Petroleum Reserve, an action President Bush says will have no meaningful affect on prices.

FORBES: Magazine Article

And the US Federal Reserve and bank regulators said that the downgrade won't affect the risk-weighting attached to US sovereign debt for banks - which means that US banks should not be deterred from lending to their government to any great extent.

BBC: As the US loses AAA, where is a safe harbour?

If you're the Federal Reserve, meeting today, deciding perhaps whether to cut interest rates, how does information like this affect you?

NPR: Economy Demonstrates Vigor Despite Credit Woes