In a survey of the oil, gas, and mining companies covered by Britain’s version of Cardin-Lugar, which requires the companies to report their taxes, royalties, and other payments to the countries where they operate, the government found that the companies “did not report any substantial costs associated with this reporting,” and that “this type of reporting does not disadvantage company business interests, including their relationships with governments.” The government gave strong thumbs up to keeping the regulations in place.

This authoritative review of the real experience of real oil companies, issued last week, is a direct rebuke to the fanciful claims of alleged harm by the American oil industry and the Trump administration. Britain’s extractives reporting requirement, which came into force in 2014, is modeled on Cardin-Lugar, which was passed in 2010...