Title 38 — Veterans' BenefitsRelease 119-73
§728 Misuse of Department purchase cards
Title 38 › Part PART I— - GENERAL PROVISIONS › Chapter CHAPTER 7— - EMPLOYEES › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - GENERAL EMPLOYEE MATTERS › § 728
Summary
The Secretary must bar any Department employee who is found to have knowingly misused a purchase card from serving as a purchase card holder or as an approving official. That ban is extra to any other punishment the employee might face. “Misuse” covers things like splitting purchases to avoid rules, going over card limits or thresholds, buying items that are not allowed, using a card without permission, and breaking ethics rules.
Full Legal Text
Title 38, §728
Veterans' Benefits — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)(1)The Secretary shall prohibit any employee of the Department who the Secretary or the Inspector General of the Department determines has knowingly misused a purchase card from serving as a purchase card holder or approving official.
(2)Such a prohibition shall be in addition to any other applicable penalty.
(b)For purposes of this section, the term “misuse” means—
(1)splitting purchases;
(2)exceeding applicable purchase card limits or purchase thresholds;
(3)purchasing any unauthorized item;
(4)using a purchase card without being an authorized purchase card holder; or
(5)violating ethics standards.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
38 U.S.C. § 728
Title 38 — Veterans' Benefits
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73