§3523 — Title 31 Money and Finance | U.S. Code

Summary

The Comptroller General, who leads the Government Accountability Office (GAO), must audit the money transactions of every federal agency unless another law says not to. When planning an audit, the Comptroller General must use standard auditing practices and look at how well an agency’s accounting systems, internal checks, and related administrative practices work. The Comptroller General must also audit the Architect of the Capitol when needed, follow Section 716 for that audit, and send the results to Congress as a printed Senate document. If an audit is done where an agency usually keeps records, the Comptroller General can require the agency head or the Architect to keep parts of accounts or records for up to 10 years or longer if they agree. Agencies in the legislative or judicial branch (except the Architect) may agree to follow these record rules.

Title 31, §3523

Money and Finance — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Except as specifically provided by law, the Comptroller General shall audit the financial transactions of each agency. In deciding on auditing procedures and the extent to which records are to be inspected, the Comptroller General shall consider generally accepted auditing principles, including the effectiveness of accounting organizations and systems, internal audit and control, and related administrative practices of each agency.

(b)The Comptroller General shall audit the Architect of the Capitol at times the Comptroller General considers appropriate. section 716 of this title applies to the Architect in conducting the audit. The Comptroller General shall report the results of the audit to Congress. Each report shall be printed as a Senate document.

(c)(1)When the Comptroller General decides an audit shall be conducted at a place at which the records of an executive agency or the Architect of the Capitol are usually kept, the Comptroller General may require the head of the agency or the Architect to keep any part of an account of an accountable official or of a record required to be submitted to the Comptroller General. The Comptroller General may require records be kept under conditions and for a period of not more than 10 years specified by the Comptroller General. However, the Comptroller General and the head of the agency or the Architect may agree on a longer period.

(2)The Comptroller General and the head of an agency in the legislative or judicial branch of the United States Government (except the Architect) may agree to apply this subsection to the agency.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 3523(a)31:67(a).Sept. 12, 1950, ch. 946, § 117(a), 64 Stat. 837. 3523(b)31:67(c).Sept. 12, 1950, ch. 946, 64 Stat. 832, § 117(c); added Aug. 20, 1964, Pub. L. 88–454, § 105(a)(last par.), 78 Stat. 551. 3523(c)31:67(b).Sept. 12, 1950, ch. 946, § 117(b), 64 Stat. 837; Aug 20, 1964, Pub. L. 88–454, § 105(a)(last par.), 78 Stat. 551. In the section, the words “Comptroller General” are substituted for “General Accounting Office” for consistency. In subsection (a), the words “otherwise” and “including but not limited to the accounts of accountable officers” are omitted as surplus. The words “in accordance with such principles and procedures and under such

Rules and Regulations

as may be prescribed by the Comptroller General of the United States” are omitted as unnecessary because of section 711 of the revised title. The words “to be followed” are omitted as surplus. The words “to which records are to be inspected” are substituted for “of examination of vouchers and other documents” for consistency in the revised title and with other titles of the United States Code. In subsection (b), the first sentence is substituted for 31:67(c)(1st sentence), and the word “Congress” is substituted for “the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives”, for consistency and to eliminate unnecessary words. In subsection (c), the words “the head of” are added for consistency. In subsection (c)(1), the words “or places”, “accounts and other”, and “contracts, vouchers, and other” are omitted as surplus. The word “record” is substituted for “documents” for consistency in the revised title and with other titles of the Code. The words “under existing law” are omitted as surplus. In subsection (c)(2), the words “Provided, That” are omitted because of the restatement. The words “the accounts and records of” are omitted as surplus.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Payment for Audits Pub. L. 108–83, title I, § 1401, Sept. 30, 2003, 117 Stat. 1034, as amended by Pub. L. 108–271, § 8(b), July 7, 2004, 118 Stat. 814, authorized the Comptroller General, at any time during fiscal year 2004 or thereafter, to accept payment from the Securities and Exchange Commission for performance of audits of financial statements of the Commission, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 110–323, § 6(b), Sept. 22, 2008, 122 Stat. 3547, effective Oct. 1, 2010.

§3523 General audit authority of the Comptroller General