15 U.S.C. § 7220: Definitions

The term “audit” means an examination of the financial statements, reports, documents, procedures, controls, or notices of any issuer, broker, or dealer by an independent public accounting firm in accordance with the rules of the Board or the Commission, for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the financial statements or providing an audit report. prepared following an audit performed for purposes of compliance by an issuer, broker, or dealer with the requirements of the securities laws; and sets forth the opinion of that firm regarding a financial statement, report, notice, or other document, procedures, or controls; or asserts that no such opinion can be expressed. The term “broker” means a broker (as such term is defined in section 78c(a)(4) of this title ) that is required to file a balance sheet, income statement, or other financial statement under section 78q(e)(1)(A) of this title , where such balance sheet, income statement, or financial statement is required to be certified by a registered public accounting firm. The term “dealer” means a dealer (as such term is defined in section 78c(a)(5) of this title ) that is required to file a balance sheet, income statement, or other financial statement under section 78q(e)(1)(A) of this title , where such balance sheet, income statement, or financial statement is required to be certified by a registered public accounting firm. established by the standard setting body described in section 77s(b) of this title , as amended by this Act, or prescribed by the Commission under section 77s(a) of this title or section 78m(b) of this title ; and relevant to audit reports for particular issuers, brokers, or dealers, or dealt with in the quality control system of a particular registered public accounting firm; and relate to the preparation or issuance of audit reports for issuers, brokers, or dealers; and are established or adopted by the Board under section 7213(a) of this title , or are promulgated as rules of the Commission. The term “self-regulatory organization” has the same meaning as in section 78c(a) of this title .