Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke told Republican senators yesterday the Fed can’t and won’t throw a safety net under stressed European governments or financial institutions, lawmakers said.

“We’re all concerned — is the American taxpayer going to be bailing out European nations and banks?” Sen. Lindsey Graham told reporters after a meeting with the Fed chairman.

“He said, no, he doesn’t have the intention or authority to do that,” Graham said.

Bernanke met with Republican senators a day after the Fed said risks that the debt crisis roiling European financial markets could jump the Atlantic is a major risk to the fragile US recovery. “He’s very concerned,” Sen. Orrin Hatch said.