---
kind: "section"
citation: "38 U.S.C. § 6104"
title: "38"
title_heading: "Veterans’ Benefits"
number: "6104"
heading: "Forfeiture for treason"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/38/6104"
units:
  - "Part IV — General Administrative Provisions"
  - "Chapter 61 — Penal and Forfeiture Provisions"
---

# §6104. Forfeiture for treason

- (a) Any person shown by evidence satisfactory to the [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) 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](/usc/38/101.md?p=1).
- (b) The [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1), in the [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1)’s discretion, may apportion and pay any part of benefits forfeited under [subsection (a)](#a) to the [dependents](/usc/38/3452.md?p=d) of the person forfeiting such benefits. No [dependent](/usc/38/3452.md?p=d) of any person shall receive benefits by reason of this subsection in excess of the amount to which the [dependent](/usc/38/3452.md?p=d) 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)](#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.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 85–857, Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1240, § 3504; Pub. L. 86–222, § 2, Sept. 1, 1959, 73 Stat. 452; Pub. L. 91–24, § 13(b), June 11, 1969, 83 Stat. 34; Pub. L. 97–295, § 4(78), Oct. 12, 1982, 96 Stat. 1311; Pub. L. 99–576, title VII, § 701(84), Oct. 28, 1986, 100 Stat. 3298; renumbered § 6104, Pub. L. 102–40, title IV, § 402(b)(1), May 7, 1991, 105 Stat. 238; Pub. L. 102–83, § 4(a)(1), (b)(1), (2)(E), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 403–405; Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title IX, § 926(a)(56), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3830.)

## Notes

### 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).