---
kind: "section"
citation: "38 U.S.C. § 728"
title: "38"
title_heading: "Veterans’ Benefits"
number: "728"
heading: "Misuse of Department purchase cards"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/38/728"
units:
  - "Part I — General Provisions"
  - "Chapter 7 — Employees"
  - "Subchapter I — General Employee Matters"
---

# §728. Misuse of Department purchase cards

- (a) **In General.—**
  - (1) The [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) shall prohibit any employee of the [Department](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) who the [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) or the Inspector General of the [Department](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) 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.)