How Revenue Works
Audits and assurances
In the United States, data about revenue from the extractive industries are bound by rules and regulations. Companies and governments are accountable to internal and external oversight. This ensures correct reporting and publication of payments.
Tracking and verifying payments
Companies and government agencies are each legally responsible for reporting payment data. Reported data must be both accurate and verifiable. Controls and standards help companies report correct data on the first attempt. Reports are verified after submission. Independent audits help ensure compliance with internal and external standards.
Standards, reporting, and oversight
- The American Institute of CPAs publishes Generally Accepted Auditing Standards.
- The Financial Accounting Standards Board provides Accounting Standards Codification. This is the single official source of authoritative, nongovernmental U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP).
- The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board helps confirm that registered public accounting firms are operating in accordance with auditing standards.
- The Security and Exchange Commission maintains a searchable database of public company filings. The database is called EDGAR.
- OMB Circular No. A-123 prescribes responsibilities for establishing and maintaining effective internal controls and financial management systems.
- The roles and responsibilities of each agency are governed by The Chief Financial Officers Act: A Mandate for Federal Financial Management Reform.
- The Government Accountability Office (GAO) publishes Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government. This is known as the Green Book.
- Audits are supported by standards like the GAO's Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards. This is known as the Yellow Book.
- The U.S. Standard General Ledger is a uniform chart of accounts and technical guidance for standardizing federal agency accounting. It is provided to OMB and the U.S. Treasury.
- Department of the Interior audit results are publicly disclosed on an annual basis by the Office of Inspector General.
Federal agency reports on payments received from U.S. extractive industries are available online:
- IRS publications
- U.S. Treasury: Combined statement of receipts, outlays, and balances
- Bureau of Land Management (BLM) publications
- Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) resources
The U.S. government is subject to numerous laws governing data publication, including:
- The Federal Financial Management Improvement Act of 1996. This Act ensures that federal financial management systems provide accurate, reliable, and timely information to government managers.
- 26 U.S. Code § 6103 requires confidentiality of tax returns and return information.
- 18 U.S. Code § 1905 punishes disclosure of proprietary information by a government employee.