Legal Definitions - Register of the Treasury

The Register of the Treasury was a U.S. Treasury officer primarily responsible for managing the federal government's financial records. Their duties included keeping accounts of public money, recording debts, preserving financial documents, and signing government securities, as well as supervising the registry of vessels under federal law.

The Register of the Treasury is a senior official within the U.S. Department of the Treasury. This individual holds a critical role in maintaining the official financial records of the United States government. Their responsibilities encompass meticulously tracking all government income and expenditures, documenting the national debt, preserving detailed financial accounts with supporting evidence, recording official payment authorizations (known as warrants), and overseeing the issuance of government financial instruments like bonds. Additionally, the Register supervises the federal registration of vessels.

Here are some examples illustrating the role of the Register of the Treasury:

• Example 1: Issuing Government Bonds

  When the U.S. government decides to raise funds for a new national initiative, such as a large-scale renewable energy project, it often issues new Treasury bonds or notes to investors. The Register of the Treasury is directly involved in this process by officially signing and issuing these government securities. This action formalizes the government's borrowing and ensures that these financial instruments are legally valid and can be traded in financial markets, demonstrating the duty to "sign and issue government securities."

• Example 2: Tracking National Finances

  Imagine the end of a fiscal year, when the government needs to present a comprehensive overview of its financial health. The Register of the Treasury is responsible for compiling and maintaining the precise records of all tax revenues collected from citizens and businesses (receipts) and every dollar spent on federal programs, from defense to healthcare (expenditures). They also keep the official ledger of the national debt, providing an accurate and transparent account of the government's financial obligations. This illustrates their core duty to "keep accounts of receipts and expenditures of public money" and "record public debts."

• Example 3: Vessel Registration Oversight

  Consider a major U.S.-based cruise line that has just acquired a new luxury liner built in a foreign shipyard. Before this vessel can legally operate under the U.S. flag and carry passengers between American ports or internationally, it must undergo official federal registration. The Register of the Treasury supervises this registration process, ensuring that all vessels operating under federal law meet the necessary legal and administrative requirements. This highlights their responsibility to "supervise the registry of vessels under federal law."