"If the changes are focused entirely on the short run, then they might have some consequences for growth.
"In that case, the Federal Reserve, as always, is going to try to set monetary policy to meet our mandate, will take those into account appropriately," Bernanke said in his first press conference.
But so far, he has not seen any fiscal changes that have really changed US near-term outlook, he added.
"If Congress and the administration are able to make credible commitments to cutting programmes or in any way changing the fiscal profile going forward over a long period of time, that is the most constructive way to address what is in fact a long-run problem," he said.
Responding to questions, Bernanke said most of the factors that accounted for the slower growth in the first quarter appear to be transitory.
"They include things like, for example, lower defence spending than was anticipated, which will presumably be made up in a later quarter; weaker exports, and given the growth in the global economy, we expect to see that pick up again; and other factors, like weather and so on," he said.
"Now, there are some factors there that may have a longer-term
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