Financial-reform legislation might go easier on rating agencies

A proposal to crack down on conflicts of interest by credit rating agencies might be set aside for the future as the House and the Senate work on reconciling their versions of legislation to overhaul financial regulation in the U.S. The Senate bill calls for a government panel empowered to eliminate rating agencies' conflicts of interest. However, Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., head of the House-Senate conference committee, wants a one-year study of the issue instead.