§ 8307. Studies

(a) Study on effects of position limits on trading on exchanges in the United States

(1) Study

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission, in consultation with each entity that is a designated contract market under the Commodity Exchange Act [7 U.S.C. 1 et seq.], shall conduct a study of the effects (if any) of the position limits imposed pursuant to the other provisions of this title

(2) Report Not later than 18 months after July 21, 2010, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the Securities and Exchange Commission shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry and the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Agriculture and the Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives a report that includes a description of the results of the study under subsection (a), including—

(A) identification of the major exchanges and their regulator in each geographic area for the trading of swaps and security-based swaps including a listing of the major contracts and their trading volumes and notional values as well as identification of the major swap dealers participating in such markets;

(B) identification of the major clearing houses and clearing agencies and their regulator in each geographic area for the clearing of swaps and security-based swaps, including a listing of the major contracts and the clearing volumes and notional values as well as identification of the major clearing members of such clearing houses and clearing agencies in such markets;

(C) a description of the comparative methods of clearing swaps in the United States, Asia, and Europe; and

(D) a description of the various systems used for establishing margin on individual swaps, security-based swaps, and swap portfolios.

(d) Stable value contracts

(1) Determination

(A) Status

Not later than 15 months after July 21, 2010, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission shall, jointly, conduct a study to determine whether stable value contracts fall within the definition of a swap. In making the determination required under this subparagraph, the Commissions jointly shall consult with the Department of Labor, the Department of the Treasury, and the State entities that regulate the issuers of stable value contracts.

(B) Regulations

If the Commissions determine that stable value contracts fall within the definition of a swap, the Commissions jointly shall determine if an exemption for stable value contracts from the definition of swap is appropriate and in the public interest. The Commissions shall issue regulations implementing the determinations required under this paragraph. Until the effective date of such regulations, and notwithstanding any other provision of this title,¹ the requirements of this title ¹ shall not apply to stable value contracts.

(C) Legal certainty

Stable value contracts in effect prior to the effective date of the regulations described in subparagraph (B) shall not be considered swaps.

(2) Definition

For purposes of this subsection, the term “stable value contract” means any contract, agreement, or transaction that provides a crediting interest rate and guaranty or financial assurance of liquidity at contract or book value prior to maturity offered by a bank, insurance company, or other State or federally regulated financial institution for the benefit of any individual or commingled fund available as an investment in an employee benefit plan (as defined in section 1002(3) of title 29, including plans described in section 1002(32) of title 29) subject to participant direction, an eligible deferred compensation plan (as defined in section 457(b) of title 26) that is maintained by an eligible employer described in section 457(e)(1)(A) of title 26, an arrangement described in section 403(b) of title 26, or a qualified tuition program (as defined in section 529 of title 26).

(Pub. L. 111–203, title VII, § 719, July 21, 2010, 124 Stat. 1654.)

References In Text

References in Text

The Commodity Exchange Act, referred to in subsec. (a)(1), (2), is act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 369, 42 Stat. 998, which is classified generally to chapter 1 (§ 1 et seq.) of Title 7, Agriculture. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 1 of Title 7 and Tables.

This title, referred to in subsecs. (a)(1), (2), and (d)(1)(B), is title VII of Pub. L. 111–203, July 21, 2010, 124 Stat. 1641, known as the Wall Street Transparency and Accountability Act of 2010, which enacted this chapter and enacted and amended numerous other sections and notes in the Code. For complete classification of title VII to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 8301 of this title and Tables.

Definitions

Definitions

For definitions of terms used in this section, see section 5301 of Title 12, Banks and Banking.