Title 38 — Veterans' BenefitsRelease 119-73not60
§728 Misuse of Department Purchase Cards
Title 38 › Part I— GENERAL PROVISIONS › Chapter 7— EMPLOYEES › Subchapter I— GENERAL EMPLOYEE MATTERS › § 728
Summary
The Secretary must stop any Department employee that the Secretary or the Inspector General finds knowingly misused a purchase card from serving as a card holder or as an approving official. That ban is in addition to any other penalties. "Misuse" means things like splitting purchases to avoid rules, going over card limits or thresholds, buying items that are not allowed, using a card when not authorized, or 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 5, 2026
Release point: 119-73not60