The Senate Banking Committee has come all out to support and back Fed Chairman Ben S. Bernanke's second term in power. On Thursday, the panel voted 16-7 in favor of the Chairman, setting the stage for the complete Senate to seriously consider the proposition early next year.

The panel endorsed Mr. Bernanke for another term as the Federal Reserve's acting Chairman, thereby paving the way for a confirmation vote on the matter.

Mr. Bernanke's term is due to end on January 31, and the panel is now backing him to be appointed for another 4 year term. Although it might seem more-or-less confirmed that the Chairman would head the group for another term, there are various more who are dissatisfied with the current economic state and are trying to stop a second session from happening.

While only 4 out of 10 Republicans voted in favor of Mr. Bernanke, as many as 12 out of 13 Democrats sent out their support votes to him, stressing that whatever mistakes he might have made, the Chairman did move aggressively to prevent the nation from slipping into a much worse recession.

Mr. Bernanke, whose term has been ridden with controversies and criticism, is an expert on the Great Depression, and has been named Time Magazine's Person of the Year.