washington/san francisco federal reserve chair janet yellen defend u.s. central bank first rate hike decade likely insist rise year remain track albeit slow pace address congress wednesday yellen certain grill lawmakers whether economy really ready high rat point continue strong job growth even financial market price rate hike year sign stress global financial system re-emerge amid volatile market feed chair also likely find heat exchange lawmakers bank perceive secrecy presidential candidates side aisle take regular shots feed campaign trail think market probably over-reacted sense feed raise rat time soon say vincent reinhart visit scholar american enterprise institute former head feed monetary affairs division house financial service committee hear set 10 a.m. est 1500 gmt wednesday follow thursday 10 a.m. est senate bank committee hear u.s. growth slow 0.7 percent rate fourth quarter weak global demand weigh economy house sector strengthen unemployment fell 4.9 percent last month relief feed wag jump january year vice chair stanley fischer feed officials recently back predictions four rate hike year note plunge oil price mean u.s. inflation could take long rise percent goal policymakers stress soon scrap forecast continue u.s. strength 2016. note similarly severe market selloff august september derail economy much initially fear september ... case tight financial condition last long move zero rat cleveland feed president loretta voter feed policy year say last week feed overcome deep market skepticism would initiate hike cycle pull first rate rise almost decade december last year twice-yearly appearances congress feed chair often pepper barb question central bank effectiveness regulatory chop commitment congressionally set goals republicans like house financial service chair jeb hensarling well democrats like elizabeth warren sit senate bank committee top presidential candidates include republican senator ted cruz democratic senator bernie sanders call major reform feed could complicate things yellen try keep alive prospect rate rise even acknowledge threat pose slow global economy must forget despite financial market rout pain mine manufacture sector feed get close meet mandate say harm bandholz chief u.s. economist unicredit data tuesday show job open surge december yellen face tough sell feed rate hike congress