Proposed Rule: References to Credit Ratings in Certain Investment Company Act Rules and Forms

This is one of several releases that the Securities and Exchange Commission (‘‘Commission’’) will be considering relating to the use of credit ratings in our rules and forms. In this release, we are proposing a new rule as well as rule and form amendments under the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment Company Act of 1940 to implement provisions of the DoddFrank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (‘‘Dodd-Frank Act’’). The Commission is proposing amendments to two rules and four forms under the Investment Company Act and the Securities Act that contain references to credit ratings. The proposed amendments would give effect to provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act that call for the amendment of Commission regulations that contain credit rating references. In addition, the Commission is proposing a new rule under the Investment Company Act to establish a standard of credit-worthiness in place of a statutory reference to credit ratings in that Act that the Dodd-Frank Act removes.