WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) - The Federal Reserve cut its benchmark interest rate for the third time this year to 1-5% to 1.75%, but the central bank also signaled it will pause to assess the economy before acting again. The vote was 8 to 2. The Fed has cut rates largely to protect the economy from a damaging trade war with China that's curbed U.S. and global growth. The U.S. economy, however, is still "rising at a moderate rate," the Fed noted. Boston Fed President Eric Rosengren and Kansas City Fed President Esther George dissented for the third meeting in a row. Both have argued the economy is strong enough to forego rate cuts.