In August 2011,Standard & Poor's (S&P)changed Its Rating on U

In August 2011,Standard & Poor's (S&P) changed its rating on U.S.Treasury bonds from "AAA" to "AA+" based on the state of the federal government's budget deficit.This was the ________ a rating agency had given Treasury bonds less than a rating of "AAA."

A) first time ever
B) second time since the year 2000
C) first time since the Great Depression
D) fifth time in history