
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
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[Laws in effect as of January 2, 2001]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 2, 2001 and January 28, 2002]
[CITE: 31USC3511]

 
                       TITLE 31--MONEY AND FINANCE
 
                   SUBTITLE III--FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
 
                  CHAPTER 35--ACCOUNTING AND COLLECTION
 
    SUBCHAPTER II--ACCOUNTING REQUIREMENTS, SYSTEMS, AND INFORMATION
 
Sec. 3511. Prescribing accounting requirements and developing 
        accounting systems
        
    (a) The Comptroller General shall prescribe the accounting 
principles, standards, and requirements that the head of each executive 
agency shall observe. Before prescribing the principles, standards, and 
requirements, the Comptroller General shall consult with the Secretary 
of the Treasury and the President on their accounting, financial 
reporting, and budgetary needs, and shall consider the needs of the 
heads of the other executive agencies.
    (b) Requirements prescribed under subsection (a) of this section 
shall--
        (1) provide for suitable integration between the accounting 
    process of each executive agency and the accounting of the 
    Department of the Treasury;
        (2) allow the head of each agency to carry out section 3512 of 
    this title; and
        (3) provide a method of--
            (A) integrated accounting for the United States Government;
            (B) complete disclosure of the results of the financial 
        operations of each agency and the Government; and
            (C) financial information and control the President and 
        Congress require to carry out their responsibilities.

    (c) Consistent with subsections (a) and (b) of this section--
        (1) the authority of the Comptroller General continues under 
    section 205(b) of the Federal Property and Administrative Services 
    Act of 1949 (40 U.S.C. 486(b)); and
        (2) the Comptroller General may prescribe the forms, systems, 
    and procedures that the judicial branch of the Government (except 
    the Supreme Court) shall observe.

    (d) The Comptroller General, the Secretary, and the President shall 
conduct a continuous program for improving accounting and financial 
reporting in the Government.

(Pub. L. 97-258, Sept. 13, 1982, 96 Stat. 959.)

                                          Historical and Revision Notes
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------
           Revised Section                   Source (U.S. Code)                
Source (Statutes at Large)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------
3511(a)..............................  31:66(a)(1st sentence words     Sept. 12
, 1950, ch. 946, Secs.  111(f),
                                        before last comma).             112(a),
 64 Stat. 835; Reorg. Plan No. 2
                                                                        of 1970
, eff. July 1, 1970, Sec.
                                                                        102(a),
 84 Stat. 2085.
3511(b)..............................  31:66(a)(1st sentence words
                                        after last comma, 2d
                                        sentence).
3511(c)..............................  31:49                           June 10,
 1921, ch. 18, Sec.  309, 42
                                                                        Stat. 2
5.
                                       31:66(a)(3d, last sentences).
3511(d)..............................  31:65(f).
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---------------------------------

    In the section, the words ``the head of'' are added for consistency 
in the revised title and with other titles of the United States Code.
    In subsection (a), the words ``of the United States'' are omitted as 
surplus. The word ``President'' is substituted for ``Director of the 
Office of Management and Budget'' because sections 101 and 102(a) of 
Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1970 (eff. July 1, 1970, 84 Stat. 2085) 
redesignated the Bureau of the Budget as the Office of Management and 
Budget and transferred all functions of the Bureau to the President.
    In subsection (b)(3), the words ``as a whole'' and ``respective'' 
are omitted as surplus.
    Subsection (c)(2) is substituted for 31:49 and the words ``and, to 
the extent he deems necessary, the authority vested in him by section 49 
of this title'' in 31:66(a) for clarity and consistency. H. Rept. 2556, 
81st Cong. (1950), states that the Comptroller General will be able to 
prescribe appropriation and fund accounting systems under 31:49 ``in 
terms of principles, standards and related requirements rather than in 
terms of detailed forms and procedures''. The reference to the judicial 
branch covers authority that the Comptroller General was given under 
31:49 that applies to departments and establishments except the Supreme 
Court that was not superseded by the source provisions restated in 
subsection (a) of this section.


                Adoption of Capital Accounting Standards

    Pub. L. 101-576, title III, Sec. 307, Nov. 15, 1990, 104 Stat. 2855, 
provided that: ``No capital accounting standard or principle, including 
any human capital standard or principle, shall be adopted for use in an 
executive department or agency until such standard has been reported to 
the Congress and a period of 45 days of continuous session of the 
Congress has expired.''

                  Section Referred to in Other Sections

    This section is referred to in sections 3512, 3513 of this title; 
title 10 sections 3022, 5025, 8022.
