Laws: Cases and Codes : U.S. Code : Title 7 : Section 1a


   
U.S. Code as of: 01/03/05
Section 1a. Definitions

      As used in this chapter:
      (1) Alternative trading system
        The term "alternative trading system" means an organization,
      association, or group of persons that - 
          (A) is registered as a broker or dealer pursuant to section
        15(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 [15 U.S.C. 78o(b)]
        (except paragraph (11) thereof);
          (B) performs the functions commonly performed by an exchange
        (as defined in section 3(a)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act
        of 1934 [15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(1)]);
          (C) does not - 
            (i) set rules governing the conduct of subscribers other
          than the conduct of such subscribers' trading on the
          alternative trading system; or
            (ii) discipline subscribers other than by exclusion from
          trading; and

          (D) is exempt from the definition of the term "exchange"
        under such section 3(a)(1) [15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(1)] by rule or
        regulation of the Securities and Exchange Commission on terms
        that require compliance with regulations of its trading
        functions.
      (2) Board of trade
        The term "board of trade" means any organized exchange or other
      trading facility.
      (3) Commission
        The term "Commission" means the Commodity Futures Trading
      Commission established under section 2(a)(2) of this title.
      (4) Commodity
        The term "commodity" means wheat, cotton, rice, corn, oats,
      barley, rye, flaxseed, grain sorghums, mill feeds, butter, eggs,
      Solanum tuberosum (Irish potatoes), wool, wool tops, fats and
      oils (including lard, tallow, cottonseed oil, peanut oil, soybean
      oil, and all other fats and oils), cottonseed meal, cottonseed,
      peanuts, soybeans, soybean meal, livestock, livestock products,
      and frozen concentrated orange juice, and all other goods and
      articles, except onions as provided in section 13-1 of this
      title, and all services, rights, and interests in which contracts
      for future delivery are presently or in the future dealt in.
      (5) Commodity pool operator
        The term "commodity pool operator" means any person engaged in
      a business that is of the nature of an investment trust,
      syndicate, or similar form of enterprise, and who, in connection
      therewith, solicits, accepts, or receives from others, funds,
      securities, or property, either directly or through capital
      contributions, the sale of stock or other forms of securities, or
      otherwise, for the purpose of trading in any commodity for future
      delivery on or subject to the rules of any contract market or
      derivatives transaction execution facility, except that the term
      does not include such persons not within the intent of the
      definition of the term as the Commission may specify by rule,
      regulation, or order.
      (6) Commodity trading advisor
        (A) In general
          Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, the term
        "commodity trading advisor" means any person who - 
            (i) for compensation or profit, engages in the business of
          advising others, either directly or through publications,
          writings, or electronic media, as to the value of or the
          advisability of trading in - 
              (I) any contract of sale of a commodity for future
            delivery made or to be made on or subject to the rules of a
            contract market or derivatives transaction execution
            facility;
              (II) any commodity option authorized under section 6c of
            this title; or
              (III) any leverage transaction authorized under section
            23 of this title; or

            (ii) for compensation or profit, and as part of a regular
          business, issues or promulgates analyses or reports
          concerning any of the activities referred to in clause (i).
        (B) Exclusions
          Subject to subparagraph (C), the term "commodity trading
        advisor" does not include - 
            (i) any bank or trust company or any person acting as an
          employee thereof;
            (ii) any news reporter, news columnist, or news editor of
          the print or electronic media, or any lawyer, accountant, or
          teacher;
            (iii) any floor broker or futures commission merchant;
            (iv) the publisher or producer of any print or electronic
          data of general and regular dissemination, including its
          employees;
            (v) the fiduciary of any defined benefit plan that is
          subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of
          1974 (29 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.);
            (vi) any contract market or derivatives transaction
          execution facility; and
            (vii) such other persons not within the intent of this
          paragraph as the Commission may specify by rule, regulation,
          or order.
        (C) Incidental services
          Subparagraph (B) shall apply only if the furnishing of such
        services by persons referred to in subparagraph (B) is solely
        incidental to the conduct of their business or profession.
        (D) Advisors
          The Commission, by rule or regulation, may include within the
        term "commodity trading advisor", any person advising as to the
        value of commodities or issuing reports or analyses concerning
        commodities if the Commission determines that the rule or
        regulation will effectuate the purposes of this paragraph.
      (7) Contract of sale
        The term "contract of sale" includes sales, agreements of sale,
      and agreements to sell.
      (8) Cooperative association of producers
        The term "cooperative association of producers" means any
      cooperative association, corporate, or otherwise, not less than
      75 percent in good faith owned or controlled, directly or
      indirectly, by producers of agricultural products and otherwise
      complying with sections 291 and 292 of this title, including any
      organization acting for a group of such associations and owned or
      controlled by such associations, except that business done for or
      with the United States, or any agency thereof, shall not be
      considered either member or nonmember business in determining the
      compliance of any such association with this chapter.
      (9) Derivatives clearing organization
        (A) In general
          The term "derivatives clearing organization" means a
        clearinghouse, clearing association, clearing corporation, or
        similar entity, facility, system, or organization that, with
        respect to an agreement, contract, or transaction - 
            (i) enables each party to the agreement, contract, or
          transaction to substitute, through novation or otherwise, the
          credit of the derivatives clearing organization for the
          credit of the parties;
            (ii) arranges or provides, on a multilateral basis, for the
          settlement or netting of obligations resulting from such
          agreements, contracts, or transactions executed by
          participants in the derivatives clearing organization; or
            (iii) otherwise provides clearing services or arrangements
          that mutualize or transfer among participants in the
          derivatives clearing organization the credit risk arising
          from such agreements, contracts, or transactions executed by
          the participants.
        (B) Exclusions
          The term "derivatives clearing organization" does not include
        an entity, facility, system, or organization solely because it
        arranges or provides for - 
            (i) settlement, netting, or novation of obligations
          resulting from agreements, contracts, or transactions, on a
          bilateral basis and without a central counterparty;
            (ii) settlement or netting of cash payments through an
          interbank payment system; or
            (iii) settlement, netting, or novation of obligations
          resulting from a sale of a commodity in a transaction in the
          spot market for the commodity.
      (10) Electronic trading facility
        The term "electronic trading facility" means a trading facility
      that - 
          (A) operates by means of an electronic or telecommunications
        network; and
          (B) maintains an automated audit trail of bids, offers, and
        the matching of orders or the execution of transactions on the
        facility.
      (11) Eligible commercial entity
        The term "eligible commercial entity" means, with respect to an
      agreement, contract or transaction in a commodity - 
          (A) an eligible contract participant described in clause (i),
        (ii), (v), (vii), (viii), or (ix) of paragraph (12)(A) that, in
        connection with its business - 
            (i) has a demonstrable ability, directly or through
          separate contractual arrangements, to make or take delivery
          of the underlying commodity;
            (ii) incurs risks, in addition to price risk, related to
          the commodity; or
            (iii) is a dealer that regularly provides risk management
          or hedging services to, or engages in market-making
          activities with, the foregoing entities involving
          transactions to purchase or sell the commodity or derivative
          agreements, contracts, or transactions in the commodity;

          (B) an eligible contract participant, other than a natural
        person or an instrumentality, department, or agency of a State
        or local governmental entity, that - 
            (i) regularly enters into transactions to purchase or sell
          the commodity or derivative agreements, contracts, or
          transactions in the commodity; and
            (ii) either - 
              (I) in the case of a collective investment vehicle whose
            participants include persons other than - 
                (aa) qualified eligible persons, as defined in
              Commission rule 4.7(a) (17 CFR 4.7(a));
                (bb) accredited investors, as defined in Regulation D
              of the Securities and Exchange Commission under the
              Securities Act of 1933 [15 U.S.C. 77a et seq.] (17 CFR
              230.501(a)), with total assets of $2,000,000; or
                (cc) qualified purchasers, as defined in section
              2(a)(51)(A) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 [15
              U.S.C. 80a-2(a)(51)(A)];

            in each case as in effect on December 21, 2000, has, or is
            one of a group of vehicles under common control or
            management having in the aggregate, $1,000,000,000 in total
            assets; or
              (II) in the case of other persons, has, or is one of a
            group of persons under common control or management having
            in the aggregate, $100,000,000 in total assets; or

          (C) such other persons as the Commission shall determine
        appropriate and shall designate by rule, regulation, or order.
      (12) Eligible contract participant
        The term "eligible contract participant" means - 
          (A) acting for its own account - 
            (i) a financial institution;
            (ii) an insurance company that is regulated by a State, or
          that is regulated by a foreign government and is subject to
          comparable regulation as determined by the Commission,
          including a regulated subsidiary or affiliate of such an
          insurance company;
            (iii) an investment company subject to regulation under the
          Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-1 et seq.) or a
          foreign person performing a similar role or function subject
          as such to foreign regulation (regardless of whether each
          investor in the investment company or the foreign person is
          itself an eligible contract participant);
            (iv) a commodity pool that - 
              (I) has total assets exceeding $5,000,000; and
              (II) is formed and operated by a person subject to
            regulation under this chapter or a foreign person
            performing a similar role or function subject as such to
            foreign regulation (regardless of whether each investor in
            the commodity pool or the foreign person is itself an
            eligible contract participant);

            (v) a corporation, partnership, proprietorship,
          organization, trust, or other entity - 
              (I) that has total assets exceeding $10,000,000;
              (II) the obligations of which under an agreement,
            contract, or transaction are guaranteed or otherwise
            supported by a letter of credit or keepwell, support, or
            other agreement by an entity described in subclause (I), in
            clause (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), or (vii), or in subparagraph
            (C); or
              (III) that - 
                (aa) has a net worth exceeding $1,000,000; and
                (bb) enters into an agreement, contract, or transaction
              in connection with the conduct of the entity's business
              or to manage the risk associated with an asset or
              liability owned or incurred or reasonably likely to be
              owned or incurred by the entity in the conduct of the
              entity's business;

            (vi) an employee benefit plan subject to the Employee
          Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C. 1001 et
          seq.), a governmental employee benefit plan, or a foreign
          person performing a similar role or function subject as such
          to foreign regulation - 
              (I) that has total assets exceeding $5,000,000; or
              (II) the investment decisions of which are made by - 
                (aa) an investment adviser or commodity trading advisor
              subject to regulation under the Investment Advisers Act
              of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80b-1 et seq.) or this chapter;
                (bb) a foreign person performing a similar role or
              function subject as such to foreign regulation;
                (cc) a financial institution; or
                (dd) an insurance company described in clause (ii), or
              a regulated subsidiary or affiliate of such an insurance
              company;

            (vii)(I) a governmental entity (including the United
          States, a State, or a foreign government) or political
          subdivision of a governmental entity;
            (II) a multinational or supranational government entity; or
            (III) an instrumentality, agency, or department of an
          entity described in subclause (I) or (II);

          except that such term does not include an entity,
          instrumentality, agency, or department referred to in
          subclause (I) or (III) of this clause unless (aa) the entity,
          instrumentality, agency, or department is a person described
          in clause (i), (ii), or (iii) of paragraph (11)(A) of this
          section; (bb) the entity, instrumentality, agency, or
          department owns and invests on a discretionary basis
          $25,000,000 or more in investments; or (cc) the agreement,
          contract, or transaction is offered by, and entered into
          with, an entity that is listed in any of subclauses (I)
          through (VI) of section 2(c)(2)(B)(ii) of this title;
            (viii)(I) a broker or dealer subject to regulation under
          the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78a et seq.)
          or a foreign person performing a similar role or function
          subject as such to foreign regulation, except that, if the
          broker or dealer or foreign person is a natural person or
          proprietorship, the broker or dealer or foreign person shall
          not be considered to be an eligible contract participant
          unless the broker or dealer or foreign person also meets the
          requirements of clause (v) or (xi);
            (II) an associated person of a registered broker or dealer
          concerning the financial or securities activities of which
          the registered person makes and keeps records under section
          15C(b) or 17(h) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15
          U.S.C. 78o-5(b), 78q(h));
            (III) an investment bank holding company (as defined in
          section 17(i) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15
          U.S.C. 78q(i)); (!1)

            (ix) a futures commission merchant subject to regulation
          under this chapter or a foreign person performing a similar
          role or function subject as such to foreign regulation,
          except that, if the futures commission merchant or foreign
          person is a natural person or proprietorship, the futures
          commission merchant or foreign person shall not be considered
          to be an eligible contract participant unless the futures
          commission merchant or foreign person also meets the
          requirements of clause (v) or (xi);
            (x) a floor broker or floor trader subject to regulation
          under this chapter in connection with any transaction that
          takes place on or through the facilities of a registered
          entity or an exempt board of trade, or any affiliate thereof,
          on which such person regularly trades; or
            (xi) an individual who has total assets in an amount in
          excess of - 
              (I) $10,000,000; or
              (II) $5,000,000 and who enters into the agreement,
            contract, or transaction in order to manage the risk
            associated with an asset owned or liability incurred, or
            reasonably likely to be owned or incurred, by the
            individual;

          (B)(i) a person described in clause (i), (ii), (iv), (v),
        (viii), (ix), or (x) of subparagraph (A) or in subparagraph
        (C), acting as broker or performing an equivalent agency
        function on behalf of another person described in subparagraph
        (A) or (C); or
          (ii) an investment adviser subject to regulation under the
        Investment Advisers Act of 1940 [15 U.S.C. 80b-1 et seq.], a
        commodity trading advisor subject to regulation under this
        chapter, a foreign person performing a similar role or function
        subject as such to foreign regulation, or a person described in
        clause (i), (ii), (iv), (v), (viii), (ix), or (x) of
        subparagraph (A) or in subparagraph (C), in any such case
        acting as investment manager or fiduciary (but excluding a
        person acting as broker or performing an equivalent agency
        function) for another person described in subparagraph (A) or
        (C) and who is authorized by such person to commit such person
        to the transaction; or
          (C) any other person that the Commission determines to be
        eligible in light of the financial or other qualifications of
        the person.
      (13) Excluded commodity
        The term "excluded commodity" means - 
          (i) an interest rate, exchange rate, currency, security,
        security index, credit risk or measure, debt or equity
        instrument, index or measure of inflation, or other
        macroeconomic index or measure;
          (ii) any other rate, differential, index, or measure of
        economic or commercial risk, return, or value that is - 
            (I) not based in substantial part on the value of a narrow
          group of commodities not described in clause (i); or
            (II) based solely on one or more commodities that have no
          cash market;

          (iii) any economic or commercial index based on prices,
        rates, values, or levels that are not within the control of any
        party to the relevant contract, agreement, or transaction; or
          (iv) an occurrence, extent of an occurrence, or contingency
        (other than a change in the price, rate, value, or level of a
        commodity not described in clause (i)) that is - 
            (I) beyond the control of the parties to the relevant
          contract, agreement, or transaction; and
            (II) associated with a financial, commercial, or economic
          consequence.
      (14) Exempt commodity
        The term "exempt commodity" means a commodity that is not an
      excluded commodity or an agricultural commodity.
      (15) Financial institution
        The term "financial institution" means - 
          (A) a corporation operating under the fifth undesignated
        paragraph of section 25 of the Federal Reserve Act (12 U.S.C.
        603), commonly known as "an agreement corporation";
          (B) a corporation organized under section 25A of the Federal
        Reserve Act (12 U.S.C. 611 et seq.), commonly known as an "Edge
        Act corporation";
          (C) an institution that is regulated by the Farm Credit
        Administration;
          (D) a Federal credit union or State credit union (as defined
        in section 1752 of title 12);
          (E) a depository institution (as defined in section 1813 of
        title 12);
          (F) a foreign bank or a branch or agency of a foreign bank
        (each as defined in section 3101 of title 12);
          (G) any financial holding company (as defined in section 1841
        of title 12);
          (H) a trust company; or
          (I) a similarly regulated subsidiary or affiliate of an
        entity described in any of subparagraphs (A) through (H).
      (16) Floor broker
        The term "floor broker" means any person who, in or surrounding
      any pit, ring, post, or other place provided by a contract market
      or derivatives transaction execution facility for the meeting of
      persons similarly engaged, shall purchase or sell for any other
      person any commodity for future delivery on or subject to the
      rules of any contract market or derivatives transaction execution
      facility.
      (17) Floor trader
        The term "floor trader" means any person who, in or surrounding
      any pit, ring, post, or other place provided by a contract market
      or derivatives transaction execution facility for the meeting of
      persons similarly engaged, purchases, or sells solely for such
      person's own account, any commodity for future delivery on or
      subject to the rules of any contract market or derivatives
      transaction execution facility.
      (18) Foreign futures authority
        The term "foreign futures authority" means any foreign
      government, or any department, agency, governmental body, or
      regulatory organization empowered by a foreign government to
      administer or enforce a law, rule, or regulation as it relates to
      a futures or options matter, or any department or agency of a
      political subdivision of a foreign government empowered to
      administer or enforce a law, rule, or regulation as it relates to
      a futures or options matter.
      (19) Future delivery
        The term "future delivery" does not include any sale of any
      cash commodity for deferred shipment or delivery.
      (20) Futures commission merchant
        The term "futures commission merchant" means an individual,
      association, partnership, corporation, or trust that - 
          (A) is engaged in soliciting or in accepting orders for the
        purchase or sale of any commodity for future delivery on or
        subject to the rules of any contract market or derivatives
        transaction execution facility; and
          (B) in or in connection with such solicitation or acceptance
        of orders, accepts any money, securities, or property (or
        extends credit in lieu thereof) to margin, guarantee, or secure
        any trades or contracts that result or may result therefrom.
      (21) Hybrid instrument
        The term "hybrid instrument" means a security having one or
      more payments indexed to the value, level, or rate of, or
      providing for the delivery of, one or more commodities.
      (22) Interstate commerce
        The term "interstate commerce" means commerce - 
          (A) between any State, territory, or possession, or the
        District of Columbia, and any place outside thereof; or
          (B) between points within the same state,(!2) territory, or
        possession, or the District of Columbia, but through any place
        outside thereof, or within any territory or possession, or the
        District of Columbia.

      (23) Introducing broker
        The term "introducing broker" means any person (except an
      individual who elects to be and is registered as an associated
      person of a futures commission merchant) engaged in soliciting or
      in accepting orders for the purchase or sale of any commodity for
      future delivery on or subject to the rules of any contract market
      or derivatives transaction execution facility who does not accept
      any money, securities, or property (or extend credit in lieu
      thereof) to margin, guarantee, or secure any trades or contracts
      that result or may result therefrom.
      (24) Member of a registered entity; member of a derivatives
        transaction execution facility
        The term "member" means, with respect to a registered entity or
      derivatives transaction execution facility, an individual,
      association, partnership, corporation, or trust - 
          (A) owning or holding membership in, or admitted to
        membership representation on, the registered entity or
        derivatives transaction execution facility; or
          (B) having trading privileges on the registered entity or
        derivatives transaction execution facility.

      A participant in an alternative trading system that is designated
      as a contract market pursuant to section 7b-1 of this title is
      deemed a member of the contract market for purposes of
      transactions in security futures products through the contract
      market.
      (25) Narrow-based security index
        (A) The term "narrow-based security index" means an index - 
          (i) that has 9 or fewer component securities;
          (ii) in which a component security comprises more than 30
        percent of the index's weighting;
          (iii) in which the five highest weighted component securities
        in the aggregate comprise more than 60 percent of the index's
        weighting; or
          (iv) in which the lowest weighted component securities
        comprising, in the aggregate, 25 percent of the index's
        weighting have an aggregate dollar value of average daily
        trading volume of less than $50,000,000 (or in the case of an
        index with 15 or more component securities, $30,000,000),
        except that if there are two or more securities with equal
        weighting that could be included in the calculation of the
        lowest weighted component securities comprising, in the
        aggregate, 25 percent of the index's weighting, such securities
        shall be ranked from lowest to highest dollar value of average
        daily trading volume and shall be included in the calculation
        based on their ranking starting with the lowest ranked
        security.

        (B) Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), an index is not a
      narrow-based security index if - 
          (i)(I) it has at least 9 component securities;
          (II) no component security comprises more than 30 percent of
        the index's weighting; and
          (III) each component security is - 
            (aa) registered pursuant to section 12 of the Securities
          Exchange Act of 1934 [15 U.S.C. 78l];
            (bb) one of 750 securities with the largest market
          capitalization; and
            (cc) one of 675 securities with the largest dollar value of
          average daily trading volume;

          (ii) a board of trade was designated as a contract market by
        the Commodity Futures Trading Commission with respect to a
        contract of sale for future delivery on the index, before
        December 21, 2000;
          (iii)(I) a contract of sale for future delivery on the index
        traded on a designated contract market or registered
        derivatives transaction execution facility for at least 30 days
        as a contract of sale for future delivery on an index that was
        not a narrow-based security index; and
          (II) it has been a narrow-based security index for no more
        than 45 business days over 3 consecutive calendar months;
          (iv) a contract of sale for future delivery on the index is
        traded on or subject to the rules of a foreign board of trade
        and meets such requirements as are jointly established by rule
        or regulation by the Commission and the Securities and Exchange
        Commission;
          (v) no more than 18 months have passed since December 21,
        2000, and - 
            (I) it is traded on or subject to the rules of a foreign
          board of trade;
            (II) the offer and sale in the United States of a contract
          of sale for future delivery on the index was authorized
          before December 21, 2000; and
            (III) the conditions of such authorization continue to be
          met; or

          (vi) a contract of sale for future delivery on the index is
        traded on or subject to the rules of a board of trade and meets
        such requirements as are jointly established by rule,
        regulation, or order by the Commission and the Securities and
        Exchange Commission.

        (C) Within 1 year after December 21, 2000, the Commission and
      the Securities and Exchange Commission jointly shall adopt rules
      or regulations that set forth the requirements under subparagraph
      (B)(iv).
        (D) An index that is a narrow-based security index solely
      because it was a narrow-based security index for more than 45
      business days over 3 consecutive calendar months pursuant to
      clause (iii) of subparagraph (B) shall not be a narrow-based
      security index for the 3 following calendar months.
        (E) For purposes of subparagraphs (A) and (B) - 
          (i) the dollar value of average daily trading volume and the
        market capitalization shall be calculated as of the preceding 6
        full calendar months; and
          (ii) the Commission and the Securities and Exchange
        Commission shall, by rule or regulation, jointly specify the
        method to be used to determine market capitalization and dollar
        value of average daily trading volume.
      (26) Option
        The term "option" means an agreement, contract, or transaction
      that is of the character of, or is commonly known to the trade
      as, an "option", "privilege", "indemnity", "bid", "offer", "put",
      "call", "advance guaranty", or "decline guaranty".
      (27) Organized exchange
        The term "organized exchange" means a trading facility that - 
          (A) permits trading - 
            (i) by or on behalf of a person that is not an eligible
          contract participant; or
            (ii) by persons other than on a principal-to-principal
          basis; or

          (B) has adopted (directly or through another nongovernmental
        entity) rules that - 
            (i) govern the conduct of participants, other than rules
          that govern the submission of orders or execution of
          transactions on the trading facility; and
            (ii) include disciplinary sanctions other than the
          exclusion of participants from trading.
      (28) Person
        The term "person" imports the plural or singular, and includes
      individuals, associations, partnerships, corporations, and
      trusts.
      (29) Registered entity
        The term "registered entity" means - 
          (A) a board of trade designated as a contract market under
        section 7 of this title;
          (B) a derivatives transaction execution facility registered
        under section 7a of this title;
          (C) a derivatives clearing organization registered under
        section 7a-1 of this title; and
          (D) a board of trade designated as a contract market under
        section 7b-1 of this title.
      (30) Security
        The term "security" means a security as defined in section
      2(a)(1) of the Securities Act of 1933 (15 U.S.C. 77b(a)(1)) or
      section 3(a)(10) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15
      U.S.C. 78c(a)(10)).
      (31) Security future
        The term "security future" means a contract of sale for future
      delivery of a single security or of a narrow-based security
      index, including any interest therein or based on the value
      thereof, except an exempted security under section 3(a)(12) of
      the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 [15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(12)] as in
      effect on January 11, 1983 (other than any municipal security as
      defined in section 3(a)(29) of the Securities Exchange Act of
      1934 [15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(29)] as in effect on January 11, 1983).
      The term "security future" does not include any agreement,
      contract, or transaction excluded from this chapter under section
      2(c), 2(d), 2(f), or 2(g) of this title (as in effect on December
      21, 2000) or sections 27 to 27f of this title.
      (32) Security futures product
        The term "security futures product" means a security future or
      any put, call, straddle, option, or privilege on any security
      future.
      (33) Trading facility
        (A) In general
          The term "trading facility" means a person or group of
        persons that constitutes, maintains, or provides a physical or
        electronic facility or system in which multiple participants
        have the ability to execute or trade agreements, contracts, or
        transactions by accepting bids and offers made by other
        participants that are open to multiple participants in the
        facility or system.
        (B) Exclusions
          The term "trading facility" does not include - 
            (i) a person or group of persons solely because the person
          or group of persons constitutes, maintains, or provides an
          electronic facility or system that enables participants to
          negotiate the terms of and enter into bilateral transactions
          as a result of communications exchanged by the parties and
          not from interaction of multiple bids and multiple offers
          within a predetermined, nondiscretionary automated trade
          matching and execution algorithm;
            (ii) a government securities dealer or government
          securities broker, to the extent that the dealer or broker
          executes or trades agreements, contracts, or transactions in
          government securities, or assists persons in communicating
          about, negotiating, entering into, executing, or trading an
          agreement, contract, or transaction in government securities
          (as the terms "government securities dealer", "government
          securities broker", and "government securities" are defined
          in section 3(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15
          U.S.C. 78c(a))); or
            (iii) facilities on which bids and offers, and acceptances
          of bids and offers effected on the facility, are not binding.

         Any person, group of persons, dealer, broker, or facility
        described in clause (i) or (ii) is excluded from the meaning of
        the term "trading facility" for the purposes of this chapter
        without any prior specific approval, certification, or other
        action by the Commission.
        (C) Special rule
          A person or group of persons that would not otherwise
        constitute a trading facility shall not be considered to be a
        trading facility solely as a result of the submission to a
        derivatives clearing organization of transactions executed on
        or through the person or group of persons.



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