N-CSR 1 a11-6372_1ncsr.htm N-CSR

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM N-CSR

 

CERTIFIED SHAREHOLDER REPORT OF REGISTERED
MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES

 

Investment Company Act file number

811-03326

 

Morgan Stanley U.S. Government Money Market Trust

(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

 

522 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York

 

10036

(Address of principal executive offices)

 

(Zip code)

 

Kevin Klingert
522 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10036

(Name and address of agent for service)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:

212-296-6990

 

 

Date of fiscal year end:

January 31, 2011

 

 

Date of reporting period:

January 31, 2011

 

 



 

Item 1 - Report to Shareholders

 


 

 

 


INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT

Welcome, Shareholder:

In this report, you'll learn about how your investment in Morgan Stanley U.S. Government Money Market Trust performed during the annual period. We will provide an overview of the market conditions, and discuss some of the factors that affected performance during the reporting period. In addition, this report includes the Fund's financial statements and a list of Fund investments.

This material must be preceded or accompanied by a prospectus for the fund being offered.

Market forecasts provided in this report may not necessarily come to pass. There is no assurance that a mutual fund will achieve its investment objective. An investment in a money market fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of an investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the Fund. Please see the prospectus for more complete information on investment risks.



Fund Report

For the year ended January 31, 2011

Market Conditions

During the reporting period, the broader U.S. economy continued to improve. Gross domestic product (GDP) in the first quarter was 3.7 percent, dipped in the second quarter to 1.7 percent and finished the year stronger at 2.6 percent and 2.8 percent, respectively, in the third and fourth quarters of 2010. While U.S. wholesale inventories declined 0.2 percent in November, the decline followed 10 straight months of expansion. The employment picture has also improved, albeit modestly. The labor market posted gains in payrolls in the last few months, but the unemployment rate remained high at 9.0 percent in January. Given the low inflation environment and expected limited declines in unemployment into 2011, we anticipate that monetary policy should remain accommodative for some time.

On November 3, 2010, the Federal Open Market Committee announced their intention to purchase $600 billion of Treasury securities under a new quantitative easing purchase program (QE2). The Fed will also buy an additional $300 billion under a previously announced plan to reinvest mortgage-backed security paydowns into Treasuries. The buying operations will likely be completed by the end of the second quarter of 2011. As the Fed proceeds to grow its balance sheet, we expect excess reserves to climb by a commensurate amount.

Performance Analysis

As of January 31, 2011, Morgan Stanley U.S. Government Money Market Trust had net assets of approximately $514 million and an average portfolio maturity of 43 days. For the 12-month period ended January 31, 2011, the Fund provided a total return of 0.01 percent. For the seven-day period ended January 31, 2011, the Fund provided an effective annualized yield of 0.01 percent (subsidized) and –0.48 percent (non-subsidized) and a current yield of 0.01 percent (subsidized) and –0.48 percent (non-subsidized), while its 30-day moving average yield for January was 0.01 percent (subsidized) and –0.48 percent (non-subsidized). Yield quotations more closely reflect the current earnings of the Fund. The non-subsidized yield reflects what the yield would have been had a fee and/or expense waiver not been in place during the period shown. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

During the reporting period, yields of short agency securities and U.S. Treasuries fell as the market continued to price out interest rate hikes in 2010. Yields on overnight repurchase agreements stayed competitive relative to those of longer-term agency paper. Consequently, we invested an ample amount in overnight repurchase agreements with the remainder of the Fund's portfolio invested in longer-term agency and U.S. Treasuries. By positioning the Fund in this manner, we feel we maintained optimal liquidity in the low-rate environment. We expect to maintain this conservative posture with respect to the Fund's weighted average maturity (WAM) and weighted average life (WAL) positioning.

There is no guarantee that any sectors mentioned will continue to perform as discussed herein or that securities in such sectors will be held by the Fund in the future.


2



PORTFOLIO COMPOSITION as of 01/31/11  
Repurchase Agreements     48.2 %  
U.S. Government Agencies — Debenture Bonds     23.8    
U.S. Government Agencies — Floating Rate Notes     19.0    
U.S. Government Agencies — Discount Notes     8.0    
U.S. Government Obligation     1.0    
MATURITY SCHEDULE as of 01/31/11  
1 - 30 Days     68.4 %  
31 - 60 Days     5.2    
61 - 90 Days     9.7    
91 - 120 Days     5.1    
121 + Days     11.6    

 

Subject to change daily. Provided for informational purposes only and should not be deemed as a recommendation to buy or sell the securities mentioned above. Portfolio composition and maturity schedule are as a percentage of total investments. Morgan Stanley is a full-service securities firm engaged in securities trading and brokerage activities, investment banking, research and analysis, financing and financial advisory services.

Investment Strategy

The Fund invests in high quality, short-term U.S. government securities. In selecting investments, the Investment Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund's share price at $1.00.

The U.S. government securities that the Fund may purchase include U.S. Treasury bills, notes and bonds, all of which are direct obligations of the U.S. Government. In addition, the Fund may purchase securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Among the agencies and instrumentalities issuing these obligations are the Government National Mortgage Association ("Ginnie Mae") and the Federal Housing Administration. The Fund may also purchase securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities which are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, but whose issuing agency or instrumentality has the right to borrow, to meet its obligations, from the U.S. Treasury. Among these agencies and instrumentalities are the Federal National Mortgage Association ("Fannie Mae"), the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation ("Freddie Mac") and the Federal Home Loan Bank. Further, the Fund may purchase securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities, which are backed solely by the credit of the issuing agency or instrumentality. Among these agencies and instrumentalities is the Federal Farm Credit System. Finally, the Fund may purchase U.S. government securities guaranteed under the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation ("FDIC") Temporary Liquidity Guarantee Program.

An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment

 


3



at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the Fund.

For More Information About Portfolio Holdings

Each Morgan Stanley fund provides a complete schedule of portfolio holdings in its semiannual and annual reports within 60 days of the end of the fund's second and fourth fiscal quarters. The semiannual reports and the annual reports are filed electronically with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Form N-CSRS and Form N-CSR, respectively. Morgan Stanley also delivers the semiannual and annual reports to fund shareholders and makes these reports available on its public web site, www.morganstanley.com. Each Morgan Stanley fund also files a complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the SEC for the fund's first and third fiscal quarters on Form N-Q and monthly holdings for each money market fund on Form N-MFP. Morgan Stanley does not deliver these reports to shareholders, nor are the first and third fiscal quarter reports posted to the Morgan Stanley public web site. However, the holdings for each money market fund are posted to the Morgan Stanley public website. You may obtain the Form N-Q filings (as well as the Form N-CSR, N-CSRS and N-MFP filings) by accessing the SEC's web site, http://www.sec.gov. You may also review and copy them at the SEC's public reference room in Washington, DC. Information on the operation of the SEC's public reference room may be obtained by calling the SEC at (800) SEC-0330. You can also request copies of these materials, upon payment of a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the SEC's e-mail address (publicinfo@sec.gov) or by writing the public reference section of the SEC, Washington, DC 20549-1520.

Householding Notice

To reduce printing and mailing costs, the Fund attempts to eliminate duplicate mailings to the same address. The Fund delivers a single copy of certain shareholder documents, including shareholder reports, prospectuses and proxy materials, to investors with the same last name who reside at the same address. Your participation in this program will continue for an unlimited period of time unless you instruct us otherwise. You can request multiple copies of these documents by calling (800) 869-NEWS, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., ET. Once our Customer Service Center has received your instructions, we will begin sending individual copies for each account within 30 days.


4




Expense Example

As a shareholder of the Fund, you incur ongoing costs, including advisory fees; shareholder servicing fees; and other Fund expenses. This example is intended to help you understand your ongoing costs (in dollars) of investing in the Fund and to compare these costs with the ongoing costs of investing in other mutual funds.

The example is based on an investment of $1,000 invested at the beginning of the period and held for the entire period 08/01/10 – 01/31/11.

Actual Expenses

The first line of the table below provides information about actual account values and actual expenses. You may use the information in this line, together with the amount you invested, to estimate the expenses that you paid over the period. Simply divide your account value by $1,000 (for example, an $8,600 account value divided by $1,000 = 8.6), then multiply the result by the number in the first line under the heading entitled "Expenses Paid During Period" to estimate the expenses you paid on your account during this period.

Hypothetical Example for Comparison Purposes

The second line of the table below provides information about hypothetical expenses based on the Fund's actual expense ratio and an assumed rate of return of 5% per year before expenses, which is not the Fund's actual return. The hypothetical account values and expenses may not be used to estimate the actual ending account balance or expenses you paid for the period. You may use this information to compare the ongoing cost of investing in the Fund and other funds. To do so, compare this 5% hypothetical example with the 5% hypothetical examples that appear in the shareholder reports of the other funds.

Please note that the expenses shown in the table are meant to highlight your ongoing costs only. Therefore, the second line of the table is useful in comparing ongoing costs, and will not help you determine the relative total cost of owning different funds that have transactional costs, such as sales charges (loads) or exchange fees.

    Beginning
Account Value
  Ending
Account Value
  Expenses Paid
During Period@
 
    08/01/10   01/31/11   08/01/10 –
01/31/11
 
Actual (0.01% return)   $ 1,000.00     $ 1,000.10     $ 1.17    
Hypothetical (5% annual return before expenses)   $ 1,000.00     $ 1,024.18     $ 1.18    

 

  @  Expenses are equal to the Fund's annualized expense ratio of 0.23% multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by 185@@/365 (to reflect the one-half year period). If the fund had borne all of its expenses, the annualized expense ratio would have been 0.69%.

  @@  Adjusted to reflect non-business days accruals.


5




Morgan Stanley U.S. Government Money Market Trust

Portfolio of Investments  n  January 31, 2011

PRINCIPAL
AMOUNT IN
THOUSANDS
    ANNUALIZED
YIELD ON
DATE OF PURCHASE
  MATURITY
DATE
  VALUE  
    Repurchase Agreements (49.3%)  
$ 60,000     BNP Paribas Securities Corp., (dated 01/31/11;
proceeds $60,000,367; fully collateralized by
U.S. Government Agencies; Federal Home Loan
Mortgage Corp. 2.30% - 6.36%
due 10/01/17 - 11/01/40; Federal National
Mortgage Association 1.82% - 7.00%
due 07/01/18 - 02/01/41; and Government
National Mortgage Association 3.50% - 5.01%
due 09/15/40 - 12/15/51;
valued at $61,800,000)
    0.22 %   02/01/11   $ 60,000,000    
  40,000     Credit Agricole SA, (dated 01/31/11;
proceeds $40,000,244; fully collateralized by
a U.S. Government Obligation;
U.S. Treasury Bill 0.00% due 01/12/12;
valued at $40,800,013)
    0.22     02/01/11     40,000,000    
  5,000     Deutsche Bank Securities Corp., (dated 01/13/11;
proceeds $5,000,525; fully collateralized by a
U.S. Government Agency; Federal National
Mortgage Association 7.00% due 12/01/38;
valued at $5,150,001)
    0.18     02/03/11     5,000,000    
  5,000     Deutsche Bank Securities Corp., (dated 01/25/11;
proceeds $5,000,833; fully collateralized by
U.S. Government Agencies; Federal National
Mortgage Association 3.89% - 7.00%
due 12/01/38 - 11/01/39;
valued at $5,150,000)
    0.20     02/24/11     5,000,000    
  5,000     Deutsche Bank Securities Corp., (dated 01/26/11;
proceeds $5,000,408; fully collateralized by a
U.S. Government Agency; Federal National
Mortgage Association 3.89% due 11/01/39;
valued at $5,150,000)
    0.21     02/09/11     5,000,000    
  5,000     Deutsche Bank Securities Corp., (dated 01/28/11;
proceeds $5,000,389; fully collateralized by a
U.S. Government Agency; Federal National
Mortgage Association 3.89% due 11/01/39;
valued at $5,150,000)
    0.20     02/11/11     5,000,000    

 

See Notes to Financial Statements
6



Morgan Stanley U.S. Government Money Market Trust

Portfolio of Investments  n  January 31, 2011 continued

PRINCIPAL
AMOUNT IN
THOUSANDS
    ANNUALIZED
YIELD ON
DATE OF PURCHASE
  MATURITY
DATE
  VALUE  
$ 11,600     Goldman Sachs and Co., (dated 01/31/11; proceeds
$11,600,068; fully collateralized by a
U.S. Government Agency; Federal Home Loan
Bank 0.00% due 07/22/11;
valued at $11,832,001)
    0.21 %   02/01/11   $ 11,600,000    
  20,000     Goldman Sachs and Co., (dated 01/31/11;
proceeds $20,000,856; fully collateralized by
U.S. Government Agencies; Government
National Mortgage Association 4.00% - 6.00%
due 01/15/33 - 06/15/40;
valued at $20,600,000)
    0.22     02/07/11     20,000,000    
  80,000     ING Financial Markets LLC, (dated 01/31/11;
proceeds $80,000,489; fully collateralized by
U.S. Government Agencies; Federal Home Loan
Mortgage Corp. 5.00% - 7.00%
due 05/01/36 - 03/01/40;
valued at $82,401,756)
    0.22     02/01/11     80,000,000    
  22,000     Merrill Lynch and Co., Inc., (dated 01/31/11;
proceeds $22,000,128; fully collateralized by
a U.S. Government Obligation;
U.S. Treasury Note 2.50% due 03/31/13;
valued at $22,440,020)
    0.21     02/01/11     22,000,000    
        Total Repurchase Agreements (Cost $253,600,000)             253,600,000    
    U.S. Government Agencies - Debenture Bonds (24.4%)  
  99,485     Federal Home Loan Banks     0.17 - 0.34     02/01/11 - 12/21/11     99,715,480    
  20,409     Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp.     0.19 - 0.20     03/15/11 - 04/18/11     20,609,242    
  5,000     Federal National Mortgage Association     0.31     05/15/11     5,080,727    
        Total U.S. Government Agencies - Debenture Bonds (Cost $125,405,449)             125,405,449    
    U.S. Government Agencies - Floating Rate Notes (19.5%)  
  10,000     Federal Farm Credit Banks     0.30 - 0.39 (a)   02/01/11 - 02/15/11(b)     10,004,495    
  49,000     Federal Home Loan Banks     0.16 - 0.30 (a)   02/01/11 - 04/15/11(b)     48,990,617    
  32,990     Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp.     0.15 - 0.37 (a)   02/05/11 - 04/11/11(b)     32,982,863    
  8,000     Federal National Mortgage Association     0.17 (a)   02/11/11(b)     7,997,884    
        Total U.S. Government Agencies - Floating Rate Notes (Cost $99,975,859)             99,975,859    

 

See Notes to Financial Statements
7



Morgan Stanley U.S. Government Money Market Trust

Portfolio of Investments  n  January 31, 2011 continued

PRINCIPAL
AMOUNT IN
THOUSANDS
    ANNUALIZED
YIELD ON
DATE OF PURCHASE
  MATURITY
DATE
  VALUE  
    U.S. Government Agencies - Discount Notes (8.2%)  
$ 1,700     Federal Home Loan Bank     0.20 %   03/18/11   $ 1,699,575    
  28,500     Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp.     0.20 - 0.22     03/28/11 - 07/25/11     28,484,360    
  12,000     Federal National Mortgage Association     0.22 - 0.42     02/01/11 - 07/11/11     11,986,933    
        Total U.S. Government Agencies - Discount Notes (Cost $42,170,868)             42,170,868    
    U.S. Government Obligation (1.0%)  
  5,000     U.S. Treasury Note (Cost $5,034,529)     0.32     12/15/11     5,034,529    
        Total Investments (Cost $526,186,705) (c)         102.4 %     526,186,705    
        Liabilities in Excess of Other Assets         (2.4 )     (12,141,456 )  
        Net Assets         100.0 %   $ 514,045,249    

 

  (a)  Rate shown is the rate in effect at January 31, 2011.

  (b)  Date of next interest rate reset.

  (c)  Cost is the same for federal income tax purposes.

 

See Notes to Financial Statements
8




Morgan Stanley U.S. Government Money Market Trust

Financial Statements

Statement of Assets and Liabilities

January 31, 2011

Assets:  
Investments in securities, at value (cost $526,186,705, including repurchase agreements of $253,600,000)   $ 526,186,705    
Cash     184,239    
Receivable for:  
Shares of beneficial interest sold     3,428,223    
Interest     618,443    
Prepaid expenses and other assets     25,711    
Total Assets     530,443,321    
Liabilities:  
Payable for:  
Investments purchased     10,063,990    
Shares of beneficial interest redeemed     6,007,816    
Transfer agent fee     124,190    
Administration fee     21,527    
Distribution fee     21,527    
Investment advisory fee     2,299    
Accrued expenses and other payables     156,723    
Total Liabilities     16,398,072    
Net Assets   $ 514,045,249    
Composition of Net Assets:  
Paid-in-capital   $ 514,083,382    
Dividends in excess of net investment income     (38,123 )  
Distributions in excess of net realized gain     (10 )  
Net Assets   $ 514,045,249    
Net Asset Value Per Share
514,141,405 shares outstanding (unlimited shares authorized of $.01 par value)
  $ 1.00    

See Notes to Financial Statements
9



Morgan Stanley U.S. Government Money Market Trust

Financial Statements continued

Statement of Operations

For the year ended January 31, 2011

Net Investment Income:  
Interest Income   $ 1,308,389    
Expenses  
Investment advisory fee     2,640,770    
Shareholder servicing fee     603,726    
Transfer agent fees and expenses     406,644    
Administration fee     301,863    
Shareholder reports and notices     109,332    
Professional fees     85,817    
Custodian fees     29,689    
Trustees' fees and expenses     21,598    
Registration fees     4,221    
Other     24,402    
Total Expenses     4,228,062    
Less: amounts waived     (2,979,762 )  
Net Expenses     1,248,300    
Net Investment Income     60,089    
Net Realized Gain     255    
Net Increase   $ 60,344    

See Notes to Financial Statements
10



Morgan Stanley U.S. Government Money Market Trust

Financial Statements continued

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

    FOR THE YEAR
ENDED
JANUARY 31, 2011
  FOR THE YEAR
ENDED
JANUARY 31, 2010
 
Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets:
Operations:
 
Net investment income   $ 60,089     $ 98,329    
Net realized gain     255       10,749    
Net Increase     60,344       109,078    
Dividends and Distributions to Shareholders from:  
Net investment income     (59,509 )     (181,471 )  
Net realized gain     (581 )     (1,959 )  
Total Dividends and Distributions     (60,090 )     (183,430 )  
Net decrease from transactions in shares of beneficial interest     (138,178,521 )     (994,523,221 )  
Net Decrease     (138,178,267 )     (994,597,573 )  
Net Assets:  
Beginning of period     652,223,516       1,646,821,089    
End of Period
(Including dividends in excess of net investment of $38,123 and
accumulated undistributed net investment income of $15,613 respectively)
  $ 514,045,249     $ 652,223,516    

See Notes to Financial Statements
11




Morgan Stanley U.S. Government Money Market Trust

Notes to Financial Statements  n  January 31, 2011

1. Organization and Accounting Policies

Morgan Stanley U.S. Government Money Market Trust (the "Fund") is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "Act"), as a diversified, open-end management investment company. The Fund's investment objectives are security of principal, high current income and liquidity. The Fund was organized as a Massachusetts business trust on November 18, 1981 and commenced operations on February 17, 1982.

The following is a summary of significant accounting policies:

A. Valuation of Investments — Portfolio securities are valued at amortized cost, which approximates market value, in accordance with Rule 2a-7 under the Act.

B. Accounting for Investments — Security transactions are accounted for on the trade date (date the order to buy or sell is executed). Realized gains and losses on security transactions are determined by the identified cost method. Discounts are accreted and premiums are amortized over the life of the respective securities and are included in interest income. Interest income is accrued daily as earned.

C. Repurchase Agreements — The Fund invests directly with institutions in repurchase agreements. The Fund's custodian receives the collateral, which is marked-to-market daily to determine that the value of the collateral does not decrease below the repurchase price plus accrued interest as earned. If such a decrease occurs, additional collateral will be requested and, when received, will be added to the account to maintain full collateralization.

D. Federal Income Tax Policy — It is the Fund's policy to comply with the requirements of Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code applicable to regulated investment companies and to distribute substantially all of its taxable income to its shareholders. Therefore, no federal income tax provision is required. The Fund files tax returns with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, New York State and New York City. The Fund recognizes the tax effects of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return only if it is more likely than not to be sustained based solely on its technical merits as of the reporting date. The more-likely-than-not threshold must continue to be met in each reporting period to support continued recognition of the benefit. The difference between the tax benefit recognized in the financial statements for a tax position taken and the tax benefit claimed in the income tax return is referred to as an unrecognized tax benefit. There are no unrecognized tax benefits in the accompanying financial statements. If applicable, the Fund recognizes interest accrued related to unrecognized tax benefits in interest expense and penalties in other expenses in the Statement of Operations. Each of the tax years filed in the four-year period ended January 31, 2011 remains subject to examination by taxing authorities.

E. Dividends and Distributions to Shareholders — The Fund records dividends and distributions to shareholders as of the close of each business day.


12



Morgan Stanley U.S. Government Money Market Trust

Notes to Financial Statements  n  January 31, 2011 continued

F. Use of Estimates — The preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States ("GAAP") requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts and disclosures. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

G. Indemnifications — The Fund enters into contracts that contain a variety of indemnifications. The Fund's maximum exposure under these arrangements is unknown. However, the Fund has not had prior claims or losses pursuant to these contracts and expects the risk of loss to be remote.

2. Fair Valuation Measurements

Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures ("ASC 820"), defines fair value as the price that the Fund would receive to sell an investment or pay to transfer a liability in a timely transaction with an independent buyer in the principal market, or in the absence of a principal market the most advantageous market for the investment or liability. ASC 820 establishes a three-tier hierarchy to distinguish between (1) inputs that reflect the assumptions market participants would use in pricing an asset or liability developed based on market data obtained from sources independent of the reporting entity (observable inputs) and (2) inputs that reflect the reporting entity's own assumptions about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing an asset or liability developed based on the best information available in the circumstances (unobservable inputs) and to establish classification of fair value measurements for disclosure purposes. Various inputs are used in determining the value of the Fund's investments. The inputs are summarized in the three broad levels listed below.

•  Level 1 — unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical investments

•  Level 2 — other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar investments, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.)

•  Level 3 — significant unobservable inputs including the Fund's own assumptions in determining the fair value of investments. Factors considered in making this determination may include, but are not limited to, information obtained by contacting the issuer, analysts, or the appropriate stock exchange (for exchange-traded securities), analysis of the issuer's financial statements or other available documents and, if necessary, available information concerning other securities in similar circumstances

The inputs or methodology used for valuing securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities and the determination of the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurement in its entirety requires judgment and considers factors specific to each security.


13



Morgan Stanley U.S. Government Money Market Trust

Notes to Financial Statements  n  January 31, 2011 continued

The following is a summary of the inputs used as of January 31, 2011 in valuing the Fund's investments carried at fair value:

        FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS AT JANUARY 31, 2011 USING  
INVESTMENT TYPE   TOTAL   UNADJUSTED
QUOTED PRICES IN
ACTIVE MARKETS FOR
IDENTICAL
INVESTMENTS
(LEVEL 1)
  OTHER
SIGNIFICANT
OBSERVABLE
INPUTS
(LEVEL 2)
  SIGNIFICANT
UNOBSERVABLE
INPUTS
(LEVEL 3)
 
Short-Term Investments:  
Repurchase Agreements   $ 253,600,000           $ 253,600,000          
U.S. Government Agencies — Debenture
Bonds
    125,405,449             125,405,449          
U.S. Government Agencies — Floating Rate
Notes
    99,975,859             99,975,859          
U.S. Government Agencies — Discount
Notes
    42,170,868             42,170,868          
U.S. Government Obligation     5,034,529             5,034,529          
Total   $ 526,186,705           $ 526,186,705          

 

Transfers between investment levels may occur as the markets fluctuate and/or the availability of data used in an investment's valuation changes. The Fund recognizes transfers between the levels as of the end of the period. As of January 31, 2011, the Fund did not have any investments transfer between valuation levels.

3. Investment Advisory/Administration Agreements

Pursuant to an Investment Advisory Agreement with Morgan Stanley Investment Advisors Inc. (the "Investment Adviser"), the Fund pays the Investment Adviser an advisory fee, accrued daily and payable monthly, by applying the following annual rates to the net assets of the Fund determined as of the close of each business day: 0.45% to the portion of the daily net assets not exceeding $500 million; 0.375% to the portion of the daily net assets exceeding $500 million but not exceeding $750 million; 0.325% to the portion of the daily net assets exceeding $750 million but not exceeding $1 billion; 0.30% to the portion of the daily net assets exceeding $1 billion but not exceeding $1.5 billion; 0.275% to the portion of the daily net assets exceeding $1.5 billion but not exceeding $2 billion; 0.25% to the portion of the daily net assets exceeding $2 billion but not exceeding $2.5 billion; 0.225% to the portion of the daily net assets exceeding $2.5 billion but not exceeding $3 billion; and 0.20% to the portion of the daily net assets exceeding $3 billion.


14



Morgan Stanley U.S. Government Money Market Trust

Notes to Financial Statements  n  January 31, 2011 continued

Pursuant to an Administration Agreement with Morgan Stanley Services Company Inc. (the "Administrator"), an affiliate of the Investment Adviser, the Fund pays an administration fee, accrued daily and payable monthly, by applying the annual rate of 0.05% to the Fund's daily net assets.

Under a Sub-Administration Agreement between the Administrator and State Street Bank and Trust Company ("State Street"), State Street provides certain administrative services to the Fund. For such services, the Administrator pays State Street a portion of the fee the Administrator receives from the Fund.

The Investment Adviser has agreed to voluntarily cap the Fund's operating expenses through June 30, 2011, by assuming the Fund's "other expenses" and/or waiving the Fund's advisory fees, and the Administrator has agreed to waive the Fund's administrative fees, to the extent that such operating expenses exceed 0.75% of the average daily net assets of the Fund on an annualized basis. These fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements are expected to continue until such time that the Board of Trustees acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or expense reimbursements when it deems such action is appropriate.

4. Shareholder Services Plan

Pursuant to a Shareholder Services Plan (the "Plan"), the Fund may pay Morgan Stanley Distributors Inc. (the "Distributor") as compensation for the provision of services to shareholders a service fee up to the rate of 0.15% on an annualized basis of the average daily net assets of the Fund.

Reimbursements for these expenses are made in monthly payments by the Fund to the Distributor, which will in no event exceed an amount equal to a payment at the annual rate of 0.15% of the Fund's average daily net assets during the month. Expenses incurred by the Distributor pursuant to the Plan in any fiscal year will not be reimbursed by the Fund through payments accrued in any subsequent fiscal year. For the year ended January 31, 2011, the shareholder servicing fee was accrued at the annual rate of 0.10%.

The Distributor, Investment Adviser and Administrator have agreed to waive/reimburse all or a portion of the Fund's shareholder servicing fee, investment advisory fee and administration fee, respectively, to the extent that total expenses exceed total income of the Fund on a daily basis. For the year ended January 31, 2011, the Distributor waived $582,200, the Investment Adviser waived $2,366,557 and the Administrator waived $31,005. These fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements are expected to continue until such time that the Board of Trustees acts to discontinue such waivers and/or expense reimbursements when it deems such action is appropriate.


15



Morgan Stanley U.S. Government Money Market Trust

Notes to Financial Statements  n  January 31, 2011 continued

5. Security Transactions and Transactions with Affiliates

The cost of purchases and proceeds from sales/maturities of portfolio securities for the year ended January 31, 2011 aggregated $82,012,981,644 and $82,142,376,713, respectively.

Morgan Stanley Services Company Inc., an affiliate of the Investment Adviser and Distributor, is the Fund's transfer agent.

The Fund has an unfunded noncontributory defined benefit pension plan covering certain independent Trustees of the Fund who will have served as independent Trustees for at least five years at the time of retirement. Benefits under this plan are based on factors which include years of service and compensation. The Trustees voted to close the plan to new participants and eliminate the future benefits growth due to increases to compensation after July 31, 2003. Aggregate pension costs for the year ended January 31, 2011, included in "trustees' fees and expenses" in the Statement of Operations amounted to $1,382. At January 31, 2011, the Fund had an accrued pension liability of $61,338, which is included in "accrued expenses and other payables" in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.

The Fund has an unfunded Deferred Compensation Plan (the "Compensation Plan") which allows each independent Trustee to defer payment of all, or a portion, of the fees he or she receives for serving on the Board of Trustees. Each eligible Trustee generally may elect to have the deferred amounts credited with a return equal to the total return on one or more of the Morgan Stanley funds that are offered as investment options under the Compensation Plan. Appreciation/depreciation and distributions received from these investments are recorded with an offsetting increase/decrease in the deferred compensation obligation and do not affect the net asset value of the Fund.

6. Shares of Beneficial Interest

Transactions in shares of beneficial interest, at $1.00 per share, were as follows:

    FOR THE YEAR
ENDED
JANUARY 31, 2011
  FOR THE YEAR
ENDED
JANUARY 31, 2010
 
Shares sold     606,177,171       431,186,615    
Shares issued in reinvestment of dividends and distributions     60,069       183,392    
      606,237,240       431,370,007    
Shares redeemed     (744,360,679 )     (1,425,893,228 )  
Net decrease in shares outstanding.     (138,123,439 )     (994,523,221 )  


16



Morgan Stanley U.S. Government Money Market Trust

Notes to Financial Statements  n  January 31, 2011 continued

7. Expense Offset

The Fund has entered into an arrangement with State Street Bank and Trust Company (the "Custodian"), whereby credits realized on uninvested cash balances were used to offset a portion of the Fund's expenses. If applicable, these custodian credits are shown as "Expense Offset" in the Statement of Operations.

8. Risks Relating to Certain Financial Instruments

The Fund may invest in, or receive as collateral for repurchase agreements, securities issued by Federal National Mortgage Association ("FNMA") and Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation ("FHLMC"). Securities issued by FNMA and FHLMC are not backed by or entitled to the full faith and credit of the United States and are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency ("FHFA") serves as conservator of FNMA and FHLMC and the U.S. Department of the Treasury has agreed to provide capital as needed to ensure FNMA and FHLMC continue to provide liquidity to the housing and mortgage markets.

9. Federal Income Tax Status

The amount of dividends and distributions from net investment income and net realized capital gains are determined in accordance with federal income tax regulations which may differ from GAAP. These "book/tax" differences are either considered temporary or permanent in nature. To the extent these differences are permanent in nature, such amounts are reclassified within the capital accounts based on their federal tax-basis treatment; temporary differences do not require reclassification. Dividends and distributions which exceed net investment income and net realized capital gains for tax purposes are reported as distributions of paid-in-capital.

The tax character of distributions paid was as follows:

    FOR THE YEAR
ENDED
JANUARY 31, 2011
  FOR THE YEAR
ENDED
JANUARY 31, 2010
 
Ordinary income   $ 60,090     $ 183,430    

 


17



Morgan Stanley U.S. Government Money Market Trust

Notes to Financial Statements  n  January 31, 2011 continued

As of January 31, 2011, the tax-basis components of accumulated losses were as follows:

Undistributed ordinary income   $ 29,212    
Undistributed long-term gains     334    
Net accumulated earnings     29,546    
Temporary differences     (67,679 )  
Net unrealized appreciation        
Total accumulated losses   $ (38,133 )  

 

As of January 31, 2011, the Fund had temporary book/tax differences attributable to nondeductible expenses.

Permanent differences, due to equalization debits and nondeductible expenses, resulted in the following reclassifications among the Fund's components of net assets at January 31, 2011:

DIVIDENDS
IN EXCESS OF
NET INVESTMENT
INCOME
  DISTRIBUTIONS
IN EXCESS OF
NET REALIZED
GAIN
  PAID-IN-CAPITAL  
$ (54,316 )   $ (7,655 )   $ 61,971    

 

10. Accounting Pronouncement

On January 21, 2010, FASB issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") 2010-06. The ASU amends ASC 820 to add new requirements for disclosures about significant transfers into and out of Levels 1 and 2, which the Fund has adopted and made the required disclosures in the Fair Valuation Measurements footnote. In addition, separate disclosures for purchases, sales, issuances and settlements relating to Level 3 measurements are required for fiscal years and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2010.


18




Morgan Stanley U.S. Government Money Market Trust

Financial Highlights

Selected ratios and per share data for a share of beneficial interest outstanding throughout each period:

    FOR THE YEAR ENDED JANUARY 31,  
    2011   2010   2009   2008   2007  
Selected Per Share Data:  
Net asset value, beginning of period   $ 1.00     $ 1.00     $ 1.00     $ 1.00     $ 1.00    
Net income from investment operations     0.000 (1)      0.000 (1)      0.015       0.044       0.044    
Less dividends and distributions from net investment
income
    (0.000 )(1)(2)      (0.000 )(1)(2)      (0.015 )(2)      (0.044 )(2)      (0.044 )(2)   
Net asset value, end of period   $ 1.00     $ 1.00     $ 1.00     $ 1.00     $ 1.00    
Total Return     0.01 %     0.02 %     1.54 %     4.50 %     4.49 %  
Ratios to Average Net Assets:  
Total expenses     0.21 %(4)      0.34 %(3)(4)      0.61 %(3)(4)      0.75 %     0.74 %(4)   
Net investment income     0.01 %(4)      0.01 %(3)(4)      1.37 %(3)(4)      4.36 %     4.36 %(4)   
Supplemental Data:  
Net assets, end of period, in millions   $ 514     $ 652     $ 1,647     $ 920     $ 779    

 

(1)  Amount is less than $0.001.

(2)  Includes capital gain distribution of less than $0.001.

(3)  Reflects fees paid in connection with the U.S. Treasury's Temporary Guarantee Program for Money Market Funds. This fee had an effect of 0.04% and 0.02% for the years ended 2010 and 2009, respectively.

(4)  If the Fund had borne all expenses that were reimbursed or waived by the Distributor, Investment Adviser and Administrator, the annualized expense and net investment income (loss) ratios would have been as follows:

PERIOD ENDED   EXPENSE
RATIO
  NET INVESTMENT
INCOME (LOSS) RATIO
 
January 31, 2011     0.70 %     (0.48 )%  
January 31, 2010     0.70       (0.35 )  
January 31, 2009     0.62       1.36    
January 31, 2007     0.80       4.30    

 

See Notes to Financial Statements
19




Morgan Stanley U.S. Government Money Market Trust

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

To the Shareholders and Board of Trustees of
Morgan Stanley U.S. Government Money Market Trust:

We have audited the accompanying statement of assets and liabilities of Morgan Stanley U.S. Government Money Market Trust (the "Fund"), including the portfolio of investments, as of January 31, 2011, and the related statement of operations for the year then ended, the statements of changes in net assets for each of the two years in the period then ended, and the financial highlights for each of the five years in the period then ended. These financial statements and financial highlights are the responsibility of the Fund's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements and financial highlights based on our audits.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements and financial highlights are free of material misstatement. The Fund is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. Our audits included consideration of internal control over financial reporting as a basis for designing audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Fund's internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion. An audit also includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. Our procedures included confirmation of securities owned as of January 31, 2011, by correspondence with the custodians and brokers; where replies were not received from brokers, we performed other auditing procedures. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

In our opinion, the financial statements and financial highlights referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Morgan Stanley U.S. Government Money Market Trust as of January 31, 2011, the results of its operations for the year then ended, the changes in its net assets for each of the two years in the period then ended, and the financial highlights for each of the five years in the period then ended, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

 

Deloitte & Touche LLP
New York, New York
March 29, 2011


20




Morgan Stanley U.S. Government Money Market Trust

An Important Notice Concerning Our U.S. Privacy Policy (unaudited)

We are required by federal law to provide you with a copy of our privacy policy ("Policy") annually.

This Policy applies to current and former individual clients of Morgan Stanley Distributors Inc., as well as current and former individual investors in Morgan Stanley mutual funds and related companies.

This Policy is not applicable to partnerships, corporations, trusts or other non-individual clients or account holders, nor is this Policy applicable to individuals who are either beneficiaries of a trust for which we serve as trustee or participants in an employee benefit plan administered or advised by us. This Policy is, however, applicable to individuals who select us to be a custodian of securities or assets in individual retirement accounts, 401(k) accounts, 529 Educational Savings Accounts, accounts subject to the Uniform Gifts to Minors Act, or similar accounts. We may amend this Policy at any time, and will inform you of any changes to this Policy as required by law.

We Respect Your Privacy

We appreciate that you have provided us with your personal financial information and understand your concerns about safeguarding such information. We strive to maintain the privacy of such information while we help you achieve your financial objectives. This Policy describes what nonpublic personal information we collect about you, how we collect it, when we may share it with others, and how others may use it. It discusses the steps you may take to limit our sharing of information about you with affiliated Morgan Stanley companies ("affiliated companies"). It also discloses how you may limit our affiliates' use of shared information for marketing purposes. Throughout this Policy, we refer to the nonpublic information that personally identifies you or your accounts as "personal information."

1. What Personal Information Do We Collect About You?

To better serve you and manage our business, it is important that we collect and maintain accurate information about you. We obtain this information from applications and other forms you submit to us, from your dealings with us, from consumer reporting agencies, from our websites and from third parties and other sources.

For example:

•  We collect information such as your name, address, e-mail address, telephone/fax numbers, assets, income and investment objectives through application forms you submit to us.

•  We may obtain information about account balances, your use of account(s) and the types of products and services you prefer to receive from us through your dealings and transactions with us and other sources.

•  We may obtain information about your creditworthiness and credit history from consumer reporting agencies.

•  We may collect background information from and through third-party vendors to verify representations you have made and to comply with various regulatory requirements.


21



Morgan Stanley U.S. Government Money Market Trust

An Important Notice Concerning Our U.S. Privacy Policy (unaudited) continued

•  If you interact with us through our public and private Web sites, we may collect information that you provide directly through online communications (such as an e-mail address). We may also collect information about your Internet service provider, your domain name, your computer's operating system and Web browser, your use of our Web sites and your product and service preferences, through the use of "cookies." "Cookies" recognize your computer each time you return to one of our sites, and help to improve our sites' content and personalize your experience on our sites by, for example, suggesting offerings that may interest you. Please consult the Terms of Use of these sites for more details on our use of cookies.

2. When Do We Disclose Personal Information We Collect About You?

To provide you with the products and services you request, to better serve you, to manage our business and as otherwise required or permitted by law, we may disclose personal information we collect about you to other affiliated companies and to nonaffiliated third parties.

a. Information We Disclose to Our Affiliated Companies.  In order to manage your account(s) effectively, including servicing and processing your transactions, to let you know about products and services offered by us and affiliated companies, to manage our business, and as otherwise required or permitted by law, we may disclose personal information about you to other affiliated companies. Offers for products and services from affiliated companies are developed under conditions designed to safeguard your personal information.

b. Information We Disclose to Third Parties.  We do not disclose personal information that we collect about you to nonaffiliated third parties except to enable them to provide marketing services on our behalf, to perform joint marketing agreements with other financial institutions, and as otherwise required or permitted by law. For example, some instances where we may disclose information about you to third parties include: for servicing and processing transactions, to offer our own products and services, to protect against fraud, for institutional risk control, to respond to judicial process or to perform services on our behalf. When we share personal information with a nonaffiliated third party, they are required to limit their use of personal information about you to the particular purpose for which it was shared and they are not allowed to share personal information about you with others except to fulfill that limited purpose or as may be required by law.

3. How Do We Protect The Security and Confidentiality Of Personal Information We Collect About You?

We maintain physical, electronic and procedural security measures to help safeguard the personal information we collect about you. We have internal policies governing the proper handling of client information. Third parties that provide support or marketing services on our behalf may also receive personal information about you, and we require them to adhere to confidentiality standards with respect to such information.


22



Morgan Stanley U.S. Government Money Market Trust

An Important Notice Concerning Our U.S. Privacy Policy (unaudited) continued

4. How Can You Limit Our Sharing Of Certain Personal Information About You With Our Affiliated Companies For Eligibility Determination?

We respect your privacy and offer you choices as to whether we share with our affiliated companies personal information that was collected to determine your eligibility for products and services such as credit reports and other information that you have provided to us or that we may obtain from third parties ("eligibility information"). Please note that, even if you direct us not to share certain eligibility information with our affiliated companies, we may still share your personal information, including eligibility information, with those companies under circumstances that are permitted under applicable law, such as to process transactions or to service your account. We may also share certain other types of personal information with affiliated companies — such as your name, address, telephone number, e-mail address and account number(s), and information about your transactions and experiences with us.

5. How Can You Limit the Use of Certain Personal Information About You by our Affiliated Companies for Marketing?

You may limit our affiliated companies from using certain personal information about you that we may share with them for marketing their products or services to you. This information includes our transactions and other experiences with you such as your assets and account history. Please note that, even if you choose to limit our affiliated companies from using certain personal information about you that we may share with them for marketing their products and services to you, we may still share such personal information about you with them, including our transactions and experiences with you, for other purposes as permitted under applicable law.

6. How Can You Send Us an Opt-Out Instruction?

If you wish to limit our sharing of certain personal information about you with our affiliated companies for "eligibility purposes" and for our affiliated companies' use in marketing products and services to you as described in this notice, you may do so by:

•  Calling us at (800) 869-6397
Monday–Friday between 8a.m. and 6p.m. (EST)

•  Writing to us at the following address:
Morgan Stanley Privacy Department
Harborside Financial Center
201 Plaza Two, 3rd Floor
Jersey City, NJ 07311

If you choose to write to us, your written request should include: your name, address, telephone number and account number(s) to which the opt-out applies and should not be sent with any other correspondence. In order to process your request, we require that the request be provided by you


23



Morgan Stanley U.S. Government Money Market Trust

An Important Notice Concerning Our U.S. Privacy Policy (unaudited) continued

directly and not through a third party. Once you have informed us about your privacy preferences, your opt-out preference will remain in effect with respect to this Policy (as it may be amended) until you notify us otherwise. If you are a joint account owner, we will accept instructions from any one of you and apply those instructions to the entire account. Please allow approximately 30 days from our receipt of your opt-out for your instructions to become effective.

Please understand that if you opt-out, you and any joint account holders may not receive certain Morgan Stanley or our affiliated companies' products and services that could help you manage your financial resources and achieve your investment objectives.

If you have more than one account with us or our affiliates, you may receive multiple privacy policies from us, and would need to follow the directions stated in each particular policy for each account you have with us.

7. What if an affiliated company becomes a nonaffiliated third party?

If, at any time in the future, an affiliated company becomes a nonaffiliated third party, further disclosures of personal information made to the former affiliated company will be limited to those described in Section 2(b) above relating to nonaffiliated third parties. If you elected under Section 6 to limit disclosures we make to affiliated companies, or use of personal information by affiliated companies, your election will not apply to use by any former affiliated company of your personal information in their possession once it becomes a nonaffiliated third party.


24



Morgan Stanley U.S. Government Money Market Trust

An Important Notice Concerning Our U.S. Privacy Policy (unaudited) continued

Special Notice to Residents of Vermont
This section supplements our Policy with respect to our individual clients who have a Vermont address and supersedes anything to the contrary in the above Policy with respect to those clients only.

The State of Vermont requires financial institutions to obtain your consent prior to sharing personal information that they collect about you with affiliated companies and nonaffiliated third parties other than in certain limited circumstances. Except as permitted by law, we will not share personal information we collect about you with nonaffiliated third parties or other affiliated companies unless you provide us with your written consent to share such information ("opt-in").

If you wish to receive offers for investment products and services offered by or through other affiliated companies, please notify us in writing at the following address:

Morgan Stanley Privacy Department
Harborside Financial Center
201 Plaza Two, 3rd Floor
Jersey City, NJ 07311

Your authorization should include: your name, address, telephone number and account number(s) to which the opt-in applies and should not be sent with any other correspondence. In order to process your authorization, we require that the authorization be provided by you directly and not through a third-party.

Special Notice to Residents of California
The following section supplements our Policy with respect to our individual clients who have a California address and supersedes anything to the contrary in the above Policy with respect to those clients only.

In response to a California law, if your account has a California home address, your personal information will not be disclosed to nonaffiliated third parties except as permitted by applicable California law, and we will limit sharing such personal information with our affiliates to comply with California privacy laws that apply to us.


25




Morgan Stanley U.S. Government Money Market Trust

Trustee and Officer Information (unaudited)

Independent Trustees:

Name, Age and Address of
Independent Trustee
  Position(s)
Held with
Registrant
  Term of
Office and
Length of
Time Served*
  Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years
  Number of
Portfolios
in Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Independent
Trustee**
  Other Directorships
Held by Independent Trustee***
 
Frank L. Bowman (66)
c/o Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP
Counsel to the Independent Trustees
1177 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10036
  Trustee   Since
August 2006
  President, Strategic Decisions, LLC (consulting) (since February 2009); Director or Trustee of various Retail Funds and Institutional Funds (since August 2006); Chairperson of the Insurance Sub-Committee of the Compliance and Insurance Committee (since February 2007); served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Nuclear Energy Institute (policy organization) through November 2008; retired as Admiral, U.S. Navy after serving 38 years on active duty including 8 years as Director of the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program in the Department of the Navy and the U.S. Department of Energy (1996-2004); Served as Chief of Naval Personnel (July 1994-September 1994); Knighted as Honorary Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire; Awarded the Officer de l'Orde National du Mérite by the French Government; elected to the National Academy of Engineering (2009).   102   Director of BP p.l.c.; Director of Naval and Nuclear Technologies LLP; Director of the Armed Services YMCA of the USA and the Naval Submarine League.  
Michael Bozic (70)
c/o Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP
Counsel to the Independent Trustees
1177 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10036
  Trustee   Since
April 1994
  Private investor; Chairperson of the Compliance and Insurance Committee (since October 2006); Director or Trustee of the Retail Funds (since April 1994) and Institutional Funds (since July 2003); formerly, Chairperson of the Insurance Committee (July 2006-September 2006); Vice Chairman of Kmart Corporation (December 1998-October 2000), Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Levitz Furniture Corporation (November 1995-November 1998) and President and Chief Executive Officer of Hills Department Stores (May 1991-July 1995); variously Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, President and Chief Operating Officer (1987-1991) of the Sears Merchandise Group of Sears, Roebuck & Co.   104   Director of various business
organizations.
 


26



Morgan Stanley U.S. Government Money Market Trust

Trustee and Officer Information (unaudited) continued

Name, Age and Address of
Independent Trustee
  Position(s)
Held with
Registrant
  Term of
Office and
Length of
Time Served*
  Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years
  Number of
Portfolios
in Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Independent
Trustee**
  Other Directorships
Held by Independent Trustee***
 
Kathleen A. Dennis (57)
c/o Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP
Counsel to the Independent Trustees
1177 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10036
  Trustee   Since
August 2006
  President, Cedarwood Associates (mutual fund and investment management consulting) (since July 2006); Chairperson of the Money Market and Alternatives Sub-Committee of the Investment Committee (since October 2006) and Director or Trustee of various Retail Funds and Institutional Funds (since August 2006); formerly, Senior Managing Director of Victory Capital Management (1993-2006).   102   Director of various non-profit organizations.  
Dr. Manuel H. Johnson (62)
c/o Johnson Smick Group, Inc.
888 16th Street, N.W.
Suite 740
Washington, D.C. 20006
  Trustee   Since
July 1991
  Senior Partner, Johnson Smick International, Inc. (consulting firm); Chairperson of the Investment Committee (since October 2006) and Director or Trustee of the Retail Funds (since July 1991) and Institutional Funds (since July 2003); Co-Chairman and a founder of the Group of Seven Council (G7C) (international economic commission); formerly, Chairperson of the Audit Committee (July 1991-September 2006), Vice Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Treasury.   104   Director of NVR, Inc. (home construction); Director of Evergreen Energy; Director of Greenwich Capital Holdings.  
Joseph J. Kearns (68)
c/o Kearns & Associates LLC
PMB754
23852 Pacific Coast Highway
Malibu, CA 90265
  Trustee   Since
August 1994
  President, Kearns & Associates LLC (investment consulting); Chairperson of the Audit Committee (since October 2006) and Director or Trustee of the Retail Funds (since July 2003) and Institutional Funds (since August 1994); formerly, Deputy Chairperson of the Audit Committee (July 2003-September 2006) and Chairperson of the Audit Committee of the Institutional Funds (October 2001-July 2003 and since August 1994 for certain predecessor Funds); CFO of the J. Paul Getty Trust.   105   Director of Electro Rent Corporation (equipment leasing) and The Ford Family Foundation.  

 


27



Morgan Stanley U.S. Government Money Market Trust

Trustee and Officer Information (unaudited) continued

Name, Age and Address of
Independent Trustee
  Position(s)
Held with
Registrant
  Term of
Office and
Length of
Time Served*
  Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years
  Number of
Portfolios
in Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Independent
Trustee**
  Other Directorships
Held by Independent Trustee***
 
Michael F. Klein (52)
c/o Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP
Counsel to the Independent Trustees
1177 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10036
  Trustee   Since
August 2006
  Managing Director, Aetos Capital, LLC (since March 2000) and Co-President, Aetos Alternatives Management, LLC (since January 2004); Chairperson of the Fixed Income Sub-Committee of the Investment Committee (since October 2006) and Director or Trustee of various Retail Funds and Institutional Funds (since August 2006); formerly, Managing Director, Morgan Stanley & Co. Inc. and Morgan Stanley Dean Witter Investment Management, President, Morgan Stanley Institutional Funds (June 1998-March 2000) and Principal, Morgan Stanley & Co. Inc. and Morgan Stanley Dean Witter Investment Management (August 1997-December 1999).   102   Director of certain investment funds managed or sponsored by Aetos Capital, LLC. Director of Sanitized AG and Sanitized Marketing AG (specialty chemicals).  
Michael E. Nugent (74)
c/o Triumph Capital, L.P.
445 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10022
  Chairperson of the Board and Trustee   Chairperson of the Boards since July 2006 and Trustee since July 1991   General Partner, Triumph Capital, L.P. (private investment partnership); Chairperson of the Boards of the Retail Funds and Institutional Funds (since July 2006); Director or Trustee of the Retail Funds (since July 1991) and Institutional Funds (since July 2001); formerly, Chairperson of the Insurance Committee (until July 2006).   104   None.  

 


28



Morgan Stanley U.S. Government Money Market Trust

Trustee and Officer Information (unaudited) continued

Name, Age and Address of
Independent Trustee
  Position(s)
Held with
Registrant
  Term of
Office and
Length of
Time Served*
  Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years
  Number of
Portfolios
in Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Independent
Trustee**
  Other Directorships
Held by Independent Trustee***
 
W. Allen Reed (63)
c/o Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP
Counsel to the Independent Trustees
1177 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10036
  Trustee   Since
August 2006
  Chairperson of the Equity Sub-Committee of the Investment Committee (since October 2006) and Director or Trustee of various Retail Funds and Institutional Funds (since August 2006); formerly, President and CEO of General Motors Asset Management; Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the GM Trust Bank and Corporate Vice President of General Motors Corporation (August 1994-December 2005).   102   Director of Temple-Inland Industries (packaging and forest products); Director of Legg Mason, Inc. and Director of the Auburn University Foundation; formerly, Director of iShares, Inc. (2001-2006).  
Fergus Reid (78)
c/o Joe Pietryka, Inc.
85 Charles Colman Blvd.
Pawling, NY 12564
  Trustee   Since
June 1992
  Chairman, Joe Pietryka, Inc.; Chairperson of the Governance Committee and Director or Trustee of the Retail Funds (since July 2003) and Institutional Funds (since June 1992).   105   Trustee and Director of certain investment companies in the JPMorgan Funds complex managed by JP Morgan Investment Management Inc.  

 

Interested Trustee:

Name, Age and Address of
Interested Trustee
  Position(s)
Held with
Registrant
  Term of
Office and
Length of
Time Served*
  Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years
  Number of
Portfolios
in Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Interested
Trustee**
  Other Directorships
Held by Interested Trustee***
 
James F. Higgins (63)
c/o Morgan Stanley Services Company Inc.
Harborside Financial Center
201 Plaza Two
Jersey City, NJ 07311
  Trustee   Since
June 2000
  Director or Trustee of the Retail Funds (since June 2000) and Institutional Funds (since July 2003); Senior Advisor of Morgan Stanley (since August 2000).   103   Director of AXA Financial, Inc. and The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States (financial services).  

 

  *  This is the earliest date the Trustee began serving the funds advised by Morgan Stanley Investment Advisors Inc. (the "Investment Adviser") (the "Retail Funds") or the funds advised by Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc. and Morgan Stanley AIP GP LP (the "Institutional Funds").

  **  The Fund Complex includes all open-end and closed-end funds (including all of their portfolios) advised by the Investment Adviser (as of December 31, 2010) and any funds that have an investment adviser that is an affiliated person of the Investment Adviser (including, but not limited to, Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.).

  ***  This includes any directorships at public companies and registered investment companies held by the Trustee at any time during the past five years.

 


29



Morgan Stanley U.S. Government Money Market Trust

Trustee and Officer Information (unaudited) continued

Executive Officers:

Name, Age and Address of
Executive Officer
  Position(s)
Held with
Registrant
  Term of
Office and
Length of
Time Served*
  Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years  
Kevin Klingert (48)
522 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10036
  President and Principal Executive Officer – Money Market and Liquidity Funds   Since September 2010   President and Principal Executive Officer (since September 2010) of the Money Market and Liquidity Funds; Head of Morgan Stanley Investment Management Liquidity business (since July 2010); Managing Director of the Investment Adviser and various entities affiliated with the Investment Adviser (since December 2007). Formerly, Global Head, Chief Operating Officer and Acting Chief Investment Officer of the Fixed Income Group of Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc. and the Investment Adviser (April 2008-July 2010); Head of Global Liquidity Portfolio Management and co-head of Liquidity Credit Research of Morgan Stanley Investment Management (December 2007-July 2010) and Vice President of the funds in the Fund Complex (June 2008-July 2010). Previously, Managing Director on the Management Committee and head of Municipal Portfolio Management and Liquidity at BlackRock (October 1991-January 2007).  
Mary Ann Picciotto (37)
c/o Morgan Stanley Services Company Inc.
Harborside Financial Center
201 Plaza Two
Jersey City, NJ 07311
  Chief Compliance Officer   Since May 2010   Executive Director of the Investment Adviser and various entities affiliated with the Investment Adviser; Chief Compliance Officer of the Retail Funds and Institutional Funds (since May 2010); Chief Compliance Officer of Morgan Stanley Investment Advisors Inc. and Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc. (since April 2007).  
Stefanie V. Chang Yu (44)
522 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10036
  Vice President   Since December 1997   Managing Director of the Investment Adviser and various entities affiliated with the Investment Adviser; Vice President of the Retail Funds (since July 2002) and Institutional Funds (since December 1997), Formerly, Secretary of the Investment Adviser and various entities affiliated with the Investment Adviser.  

 


30



Morgan Stanley U.S. Government Money Market Trust

Trustee and Officer Information (unaudited) continued

Name, Age and Address of
Executive Officer
  Position(s)
Held with
Registrant
  Term of
Office and
Length of
Time Served*
  Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years  
Francis J. Smith (45)
c/o Morgan Stanley Services Company Inc.
Harborside Financial Center
201 Plaza Two
Jersey City, NJ 07311
  Treasurer and Principal Financial
Officer
  Treasurer since July 2003 and Principal Financial Officer since September 2002   Executive Director of the Investment Adviser and various entities affiliated with the Investment Adviser; Treasurer and Principal Financial Officer of the Retail Funds (since July 2003) and Institutional Funds (since March 2010).  
Mary E. Mullin (43)
522 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10036
  Secretary   Since June 1999   Executive Director of the Investment Adviser and various entities affiliated with the Investment Adviser; Secretary of the Retail Funds (since July 2003) and Institutional Funds (since June 1999).  

 

  *  This is the earliest date the Officer began serving the Retail Funds or Institutional Funds.

2011 Federal Tax Notice (unaudited)
For Federal income tax purposes, the following information is furnished with respect to the distributions paid by the Fund during its taxable year ended January 31, 2011. 44.58% of the Fund's dividends were attributable to qualifying U.S. Government obligations. (Please consult your tax advisor to determine if any portion of the dividends you received is exempt from state income tax.) In addition, Fund shareholders redeemed $1,425,893,228 of shares during the fiscal year 2010. Of these proceeds, approximately $7,971 represents long-term capital gain from the Fund.
For Federal income tax purposes, the following information is furnished with respect to the Fund's earnings for its taxable year ended January 31, 2011. For non-U.S. residents, the Fund may designate up to a maximum of $581 as qualifying as short-term capital gain dividends.
In January, the Fund provides tax information to shareholders for the preceding calendar year.

 


31




Trustees

Frank L. Bowman
Michael Bozic
Kathleen A. Dennis
James F. Higgins
Dr. Manuel H. Johnson
Joseph J. Kearns
Michael F. Klein
Michael E. Nugent
W. Allen Reed
Fergus Reid

Officers

Michael E. Nugent
Chairperson of the Board

Kevin Klingert
President and Principal Executive Officer

Mary Ann Picciotto
Chief Compliance Officer

Stefanie V. Chang Yu
Vice President

Francis J. Smith
Treasurer and Principal Financial Officer

Mary E. Mullin
Secretary

Transfer Agent

Morgan Stanley Services Company Inc.
P.O. Box 219886
Kansas City, Missouri 64121-9886

Custodian

State Street Bank and Trust Co.
One Lincoln Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02111

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

Deloitte & Touche LLP
Two World Financial Center
New York, New York 10281

Legal Counsel

Dechert LLP
1095 Avenue of the Americas
New York, New York 10036

Counsel to the Independent Trustees

Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP
1177 Avenue of the Americas
New York, New York 10036

Investment Adviser

Morgan Stanley Investment Advisors Inc.
522 Fifth Avenue
New York, New York 10036

This report is submitted for the general information of the shareholders of the Fund. For more detailed information about the Fund, its fees and expenses and other pertinent information, please read its Prospectus. The Fund's Statement of Additional Information contains additional information about the Fund, including its trustees. It is available, without charge, by calling (800) 869-NEWS.

This report is not authorized for distribution to prospective investors in the Fund unless preceded or accompanied by an effective Prospectus. Read the Prospectus carefully before investing.

Morgan Stanley Distributors Inc., member FINRA.

© 2011 Morgan Stanley

DWGANN
IU11-00513P-Y01/11

INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT

Morgan Stanley
U.S. Government
Money Market Trust

Annual Report

January 31, 2011




 

Item 2.  Code of Ethics.

 

(a)           The Fund has adopted a code of ethics (the “Code of Ethics”) that applies to its principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller, or persons performing similar functions, regardless of whether these individuals are employed by the Fund or a third party.

 

(b)           No information need be disclosed pursuant to this paragraph.

 

(c)           Not applicable.

 

(d)           Not applicable.

 

(e)           Not applicable.

 

(f)

 

(1)           The Fund’s Code of Ethics is attached hereto as Exhibit 12 A.

 

(2)           Not applicable.

 

(3)           Not applicable.

 

Item 3.  Audit Committee Financial Expert.

 

The Fund’s Board of Trustees has determined that Joseph J. Kearns, an “independent” Trustee, is an “audit committee financial expert” serving on its audit committee. Under applicable securities laws, a person who is determined to be an audit committee financial expert will not be deemed an “expert” for any purpose, including without limitation for the purposes of Section 11 of the Securities Act of 1933, as a result of being designated or identified as an audit committee financial expert. The designation or identification of a person as an audit committee financial expert does not impose on such person any duties, obligations, or liabilities that are greater than the duties, obligations, and liabilities imposed on such person as a member of the audit committee and Board of Trustees in the absence of such designation or identification

 



 

Item 4.  Principal Accountant Fees and Services.

 

(a)(b)(c)(d) and (g).  Based on fees billed for the periods shown:

 

2011

 

 

 

Registrant

 

Covered Entities(1)

 

Audit Fees

 

$

26,700

 

N/A

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Non-Audit Fees

 

 

 

 

 

Audit-Related Fees

 

$

 

(2)

$

6,501,000

(2)

Tax Fees

 

$

4,940

(3)

$

1,350,000

(4)

All Other Fees

 

$

 

 

$

 

 

Total Non-Audit Fees

 

$

4,940

 

$

7,851,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total

 

$

31,640

 

$

7,851,000

 

 

2010

 

 

 

Registrant

 

Covered Entities(1)

 

Audit Fees

 

$

27,650

 

N/A

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Non-Audit Fees

 

 

 

 

 

Audit-Related Fees

 

$

 

(2)

$

6,909,000

(2)

Tax Fees

 

$

4,940

(3)

$

1,013,000

(4)

All Other Fees

 

$

 

 

$

 

(5)

Total Non-Audit Fees

 

$

4,940

 

$

7,922,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total

 

$

33,150

 

$

7,922,000

 

 


N/A- Not applicable, as not required by Item 4.

 

(1)   Covered Entities include the Adviser (excluding sub-advisors) and any entity controlling, controlled by or under common control with the Adviser that provides ongoing services to the Registrant.

(2)   Audit-Related Fees represent assurance and related services provided that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit of the financial statements of the Covered Entities’ and funds advised by the Adviser or its affiliates, specifically data verification and agreed-upon procedures related to asset securitizations and agreed-upon procedures engagements.

(3)   Tax Fees represent tax compliance, tax planning and tax advice services provided in connection with the preparation and review of the Registrant’s tax returns.

(4)   Tax Fees represent tax compliance, tax planning and tax advice services provided in connection with the review of Covered Entities’ tax returns.

(5)   All other fees represent project management for future business applications and improving business and operational processes.

 



 

(e)(1) The audit committee’s pre-approval policies and procedures are as follows:

 

APPENDIX A

 

AUDIT COMMITTEE

AUDIT AND NON-AUDIT SERVICES

PRE-APPROVAL POLICY AND PROCEDURES

OF THE

MORGAN STANLEY RETAIL AND INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS

 

AS ADOPTED AND AMENDED JULY 23, 2004,(1)

 

1.     Statement of Principles

 

The Audit Committee of the Board is required to review and, in its sole discretion, pre-approve all Covered Services to be provided by the Independent Auditors to the Fund and Covered Entities in order to assure that services performed by the Independent Auditors do not impair the auditor’s independence from the Fund.

 

The SEC has issued rules specifying the types of services that an independent auditor may not provide to its audit client, as well as the audit committee’s administration of the engagement of the independent auditor.  The SEC’s rules establish two different approaches to pre-approving services, which the SEC considers to be equally valid.  Proposed services either: may be pre-approved without consideration of specific case-by-case services by the Audit Committee (“general pre-approval”); or require the specific pre-approval of the Audit Committee or its delegate (“specific pre-approval”).  The Audit Committee believes that the combination of these two approaches in this Policy will result in an effective and efficient procedure to pre-approve services performed by the Independent Auditors.  As set forth in this Policy, unless a type of service has received general pre-approval, it will require specific pre-approval by the Audit Committee (or by any member of the Audit Committee to which pre-approval authority has been delegated) if it is to be provided by the Independent Auditors.  Any proposed services exceeding pre-approved cost levels or budgeted amounts will also require specific pre-approval by the Audit Committee.

 

The appendices to this Policy describe the Audit, Audit-related, Tax and All Other services that have the general pre-approval of the Audit Committee.  The term of any general pre-approval is 12 months from the date of pre-approval, unless the Audit Committee considers and provides a different period and states otherwise.  The Audit Committee will annually review and pre-approve the services that may be provided by the Independent Auditors without obtaining specific pre-approval from the Audit Committee.  The Audit Committee will add to or subtract from the list of general pre-approved services from time to time, based on subsequent determinations.

 


(1)           This Audit Committee Audit and Non-Audit Services Pre-Approval Policy and Procedures (the “Policy”), adopted as of the date above, supersedes and replaces all prior versions that may have been adopted from time to time.

 



 

The purpose of this Policy is to set forth the policy and procedures by which the Audit Committee intends to fulfill its responsibilities.  It does not delegate the Audit Committee’s responsibilities to pre-approve services performed by the Independent Auditors to management.

 

The Fund’s Independent Auditors have reviewed this Policy and believes that implementation of the Policy will not adversely affect the Independent Auditors’ independence.

 

2.     Delegation

 

As provided in the Act and the SEC’s rules, the Audit Committee may delegate either type of pre-approval authority to one or more of its members.  The member to whom such authority is delegated must report, for informational purposes only, any pre-approval decisions to the Audit Committee at its next scheduled meeting.

 

3.     Audit Services

 

The annual Audit services engagement terms and fees are subject to the specific pre-approval of the Audit Committee.  Audit services include the annual financial statement audit and other procedures required to be performed by the Independent Auditors to be able to form an opinion on the Fund’s financial statements.  These other procedures include information systems and procedural reviews and testing performed in order to understand and place reliance on the systems of internal control, and consultations relating to the audit.  The Audit Committee will approve, if necessary, any changes in terms, conditions and fees resulting from changes in audit scope, Fund structure or other items.

 

In addition to the annual Audit services engagement approved by the Audit Committee, the Audit Committee may grant general pre-approval to other Audit services, which are those services that only the Independent Auditors reasonably can provide.  Other Audit services may include statutory audits and services associated with SEC registration statements (on Forms N-1A, N-2, N-3, N-4, etc.), periodic reports and other documents filed with the SEC or other documents issued in connection with securities offerings.

 

The Audit Committee has pre-approved the Audit services in Appendix B.1.  All other Audit services not listed in Appendix B.1 must be specifically pre-approved by the Audit Committee (or by any member of the Audit Committee to which pre-approval has been delegated).

 

4.     Audit-related Services

 

Audit-related services are assurance and related services that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit or review of the Fund’s financial statements and, to the extent they are Covered Services, the Covered Entities or that are traditionally performed by the Independent Auditors.  Because the Audit Committee believes that the provision of Audit-related services does not impair the independence of the auditor and is consistent with the SEC’s rules on auditor independence, the Audit Committee may grant general pre-approval to Audit-related services.  Audit-related services include, among others, accounting consultations related to accounting, financial reporting or disclosure matters

 



 

not classified as “Audit services”; assistance with understanding and implementing new accounting and financial reporting guidance from rulemaking authorities; agreed-upon or expanded audit procedures related to accounting and/or billing records required to respond to or comply with financial, accounting or regulatory reporting matters; and assistance with internal control reporting requirements under Forms N-SAR and/or N-CSR.

 

The Audit Committee has pre-approved the Audit-related services in Appendix B.2.  All other Audit-related services not listed in Appendix B.2 must be specifically pre-approved by the Audit Committee (or by any member of the Audit Committee to which pre-approval has been delegated).

 

5.     Tax Services

 

The Audit Committee believes that the Independent Auditors can provide Tax services to the Fund and, to the extent they are Covered Services, the Covered Entities, such as tax compliance, tax planning and tax advice without impairing the auditor’s independence, and the SEC has stated that the Independent Auditors may provide such services.

 

Pursuant to the preceding paragraph, the Audit Committee has pre-approved the Tax Services in Appendix B.3.  All Tax services in Appendix B.3 must be specifically pre-approved by the Audit Committee (or by any member of the Audit Committee to which pre-approval has been delegated).

 

6.     All Other Services

 

The Audit Committee believes, based on the SEC’s rules prohibiting the Independent Auditors from providing specific non-audit services, that other types of non-audit services are permitted.  Accordingly, the Audit Committee believes it may grant general pre-approval to those permissible non-audit services classified as All Other services that it believes are routine and recurring services, would not impair the independence of the auditor and are consistent with the SEC’s rules on auditor independence.

 

The Audit Committee has pre-approved the All Other services in Appendix B.4.  Permissible All Other services not listed in Appendix B.4 must be specifically pre-approved by the Audit Committee (or by any member of the Audit Committee to which pre-approval has been delegated).

 

7.     Pre-Approval Fee Levels or Budgeted Amounts

 

Pre-approval fee levels or budgeted amounts for all services to be provided by the Independent Auditors will be established annually by the Audit Committee.  Any proposed services exceeding these levels or amounts will require specific pre-approval by the Audit Committee.  The Audit Committee is mindful of the overall relationship of fees for audit and non-audit services in determining whether to pre-approve any such services.

 

8.     Procedures

 

All requests or applications for services to be provided by the Independent Auditors that do not require specific approval by the Audit Committee will be submitted to the Fund’s Chief Financial Officer and must include a detailed description of the services to be

 



 

rendered.  The Fund’s Chief Financial Officer will determine whether such services are included within the list of services that have received the general pre-approval of the Audit Committee.  The Audit Committee will be informed on a timely basis of any such services rendered by the Independent Auditors.  Requests or applications to provide services that require specific approval by the Audit Committee will be submitted to the Audit Committee by both the Independent Auditors and the Fund’s Chief Financial Officer, and must include a joint statement as to whether, in their view, the request or application is consistent with the SEC’s rules on auditor independence.

 

The Audit Committee has designated the Fund’s Chief Financial Officer to monitor the performance of all services provided by the Independent Auditors and to determine whether such services are in compliance with this Policy.  The Fund’s Chief Financial Officer will report to the Audit Committee on a periodic basis on the results of its monitoring.  Both the Fund’s Chief Financial Officer and management will immediately report to the chairman of the Audit Committee any breach of this Policy that comes to the attention of the Fund’s Chief Financial Officer or any member of management.

 

9.     Additional Requirements

 

The Audit Committee has determined to take additional measures on an annual basis to meet its responsibility to oversee the work of the Independent Auditors and to assure the auditor’s independence from the Fund, such as reviewing a formal written statement from the Independent Auditors delineating all relationships between the Independent Auditors and the Fund, consistent with Independence Standards Board No. 1, and discussing with the Independent Auditors its methods and procedures for ensuring independence.

 

10.  Covered Entities

 

Covered Entities include the Fund’s investment adviser(s) and any entity controlling, controlled by or under common control with the Fund’s investment adviser(s) that provides ongoing services to the Fund(s).  Beginning with non-audit service contracts entered into on or after May 6, 2003, the Fund’s audit committee must pre-approve non-audit services provided not only to the Fund but also to the Covered Entities if the engagements relate directly to the operations and financial reporting of the Fund.  This list of Covered Entities would include:

 

Morgan Stanley Retail Funds

Morgan Stanley Investment Advisors Inc.

Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated

Morgan Stanley DW Inc.

Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

Morgan Stanley Investment Management Limited

Morgan Stanley Investment Management Private Limited

Morgan Stanley Asset & Investment Trust Management Co., Limited

Morgan Stanley Investment Management Company

Morgan Stanley Services Company, Inc.

Morgan Stanley Distributors Inc.

Morgan Stanley Trust FSB

 



 

Morgan Stanley Institutional Funds

Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

Morgan Stanley Investment Advisors Inc.

Morgan Stanley Investment Management Limited

Morgan Stanley Investment Management Private Limited

Morgan Stanley Asset & Investment Trust Management Co., Limited

Morgan Stanley Investment Management Company

Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated

Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc.

Morgan Stanley AIP GP LP

Morgan Stanley Alternative Investment Partners LP

 

(e)(2)  Beginning with non-audit service contracts entered into on or after May 6, 2003, the audit committee also is required to pre-approve services to Covered Entities to the extent that the services are determined to have a direct impact on the operations or financial reporting of the Registrant. 100% of such services were pre-approved by the audit committee pursuant to the Audit Committee’s pre-approval policies and procedures (attached hereto). 

 

(f)     Not applicable.

 

(g)    See table above.

 

(h)    The audit committee of the Board of Trustees has considered whether the provision of services other than audit services performed by the auditors to the Registrant and Covered Entities is compatible with maintaining the auditors’ independence in performing audit services.

 

Item 5. Audit Committee of Listed Registrants.

 

(a)   The Fund has a separately-designated standing audit committee established in accordance with Section 3(a)(58)(A) of the Exchange Act whose members are: Joseph Kearns, Michael Nugent and Allen Reed.

 

(b) Not applicable.

 

Item 6. Schedule of Investments

 

(a) Refer to Item 1.

 

(b) Not applicable.

 



 

Item 7. Disclosure of Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures for Closed-End Management Investment Companies.

 

Applicable only to reports filed by closed-end funds.

 

Item 8. Portfolio Managers of Closed-End Management Investment Companies

 

Applicable only to reports filed by closed-end funds.

 

Item 9. Closed-End Fund Repurchases

 

Applicable only to reports filed by closed-end funds.

 

Item 10. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 11. Controls and Procedures

 

(a)  The Fund’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer have concluded that the Fund’s disclosure controls and procedures are sufficient to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Fund in this Form N-CSR was recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Securities and Exchange Commission’s rules and forms, based upon such officers’ evaluation of these controls and procedures as of a date within 90 days of the filing date of the report.

 

(b)  There were no changes in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the second fiscal quarter of the period covered by this report that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

Item 12. Exhibits

 

(a) The Code of Ethics for Principal Executive and Senior Financial Officers is attached hereto.

 

(b) A separate certification for each principal executive officer and principal financial officer of the registrant are attached hereto as part of EX-99.CERT.

 



 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

 

Morgan Stanley U.S. Government Money Market Trust

 

/s/ Kevin Klingert

 

Kevin Klingert

Principal Executive Officer

March 22, 2011

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, this report has been signed by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

/s/ Kevin Klingert

 

Kevin Klingert

Principal Executive Officer

March 22, 2011

 

/s/ Francis Smith

 

Francis Smith

Principal Financial Officer

March 22, 2011