Title 38 — Veterans' BenefitsRelease 119-73not60
§6104 Forfeiture for Treason
Title 38 › Part IV— GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS › Chapter 61— PENAL AND FORFEITURE PROVISIONS › § 6104
Summary
Anyone proved guilty of mutiny, treason, sabotage, or helping an enemy of the U.S. or its allies loses all past and future benefits the Secretary controls. The Secretary can give some of those lost benefits to the person's dependents, but not more than they'd get if the person were dead. After September 1, 1959, no apportionments or awards for service periods before the offense may be made.
Full Legal Text
Title 38, §6104
Veterans' Benefits — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)Any person shown by evidence satisfactory to the Secretary to be guilty of mutiny, treason, sabotage, or rendering assistance to an enemy of the United States or of its allies shall forfeit all accrued or future gratuitous benefits under laws administered by the Secretary.
(b)The Secretary, in the Secretary’s discretion, may apportion and pay any part of benefits forfeited under subsection (a) to the dependents of the person forfeiting such benefits. No dependent of any person shall receive benefits by reason of this subsection in excess of the amount to which the dependent would be entitled if such person were dead.
(c)In the case of any forfeiture under this section there shall be no authority after September 1, 1959 (1) to make an apportionment award pursuant to subsection (b) or (2) to make an award to any person of gratuitous benefits based on any period of military, naval, air, or space service commencing before the date of commission of the offense.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2021—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 116–283 substituted “air, or space service” for “or air service”. 1991—Pub. L. 102–40 renumbered section 3504 of this title as this section. Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 102–83, § 4(b)(1), (2)(E), substituted “Secretary” for “Administrator”. Pub. L. 102–83, § 4(a)(1), substituted “administered by the Secretary” for “administered by the Veterans’ Administration”. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 102–83, § 4(b)(1), (2)(E), substituted “Secretary” for “Administrator” and “Secretary’s” for “Administrator’s”. 1986—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 99–576 substituted “the Administrator’s” for “his” and “the dependent” for “he”. 1982—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 97–295 inserted “to” before “be guilty”. 1969—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 91–24 substituted “September 1, 1959” for “the date of enactment of this subsection”. 1959—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 86–222 added subsec. (c).
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
38 U.S.C. § 6104
Title 38 — Veterans' Benefits
Last Updated
Apr 5, 2026
Release point: 119-73not60