38 USC § 728 - Misuse of Department purchase cards

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t38/s728"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "38 USC § 728 - Misuse of Department purchase cards"
title_number: 38
title_name: "VETERANS’ BENEFITS"
section_number: "728"
section_name: "Misuse of Department purchase cards"
chapter_number: 7
chapter_name: "EMPLOYEES"
subchapter_number: "I"
subchapter_name: "GENERAL EMPLOYEE MATTERS"
part_number: "I"
part_name: "GENERAL PROVISIONS"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-21"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Added Pub. L. 115–407, title V, § 501(a), Dec. 31, 2018, 132 Stat. 5376.)"
---


# § 728. Misuse of Department purchase cards

**(a)** **In General.—**

**(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)** **Misuse.—** 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.

---

**Source Credit**: (Added Pub. L. 115–407, title V, § 501(a), Dec. 31, 2018, 132 Stat. 5376.)