Performance benchmarks for asset allocation funds

(a) In general Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Labor shall provide that, in the case of a designated investment alternative that contains a mix of asset classes, the administrator of a plan may, but is not required to, use a benchmark that is a blend of different broad-based securities market indices if— (1) the blend is reasonably representative of the asset class holdings of the designated investment alternative; (2) for purposes of determining the blend’s returns for 1-, 5-, and 10-calendar-year periods (or for the life of the alternative, if shorter), the blend is modified at least once per year to reflect changes in the asset class holdings of the designated investment alternative; (3) the blend is furnished to participants and beneficiaries in a manner that is reasonably designed to be understandable; and (4) each securities market index that is used for an associated asset class would separately satisfy the requirements of such regulation for such asset class. (b) Study Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Labor shall deliver a report to the Committees on Finance and Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Committees on Ways and Means and Education and Labor of the House of Representatives regarding the utilization, effectiveness, and participants’ understanding of the benchmarking requirements under this section.