---
kind: "section"
citation: "5 U.S.C. § 8314"
title: "5"
title_heading: "Government Organization and Employees"
number: "8314"
heading: "Refusal to testify"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/5/8314"
units:
  - "Part III — Employees"
  - "Subpart G — Insurance and Annuities"
  - "Chapter 83 — Retirement"
  - "Subchapter II — Forfeiture of Annuities and Retired Pay"
---

# §8314. Refusal to testify

- (a) An individual, or his [survivor](/usc/5/8401.md?p=28) or beneficiary, may not be paid [annuity](/usc/5/8311.md?p=2) or [retired pay](/usc/5/8311.md?p=3) on the basis of the [service](/usc/5/8401.md?p=26) of the individual which is creditable toward the [annuity](/usc/5/8311.md?p=2) or [retired pay](/usc/5/8311.md?p=3), subject to the exceptions in [section 8311(2)](/usc/5/8311.md?p=2) and (3) of this title, if the individual, before, on, or after September 1, 1954, refused or refuses, or knowingly and willfully failed or fails, to appear, testify, or produce a book, paper, record, or other document, relating to his [service](/usc/5/8401.md?p=26) as an [employee](/usc/5/8311.md?p=1), before a Federal grand jury, [court](/usc/5/8401.md?p=7) of the [United States](/usc/5/7103.md?p=a-18), [court](/usc/5/8401.md?p=7)-martial, or congressional committee, in a proceeding concerning—
  - (1) his past or present relationship with a foreign [government](/usc/5/4101.md?p=3); or
  - (2) a matter involving or relating to an interference with or endangerment of, or involving or relating to a plan or attempt to interfere with or endanger, the national security or defense of the [United States](/usc/5/7103.md?p=a-18).
- (b) The prohibition on payment of [annuity](/usc/5/8311.md?p=2) or [retired pay](/usc/5/8311.md?p=3) under [subsection (a)](#a) of this section applies to the period after the date of the failure or refusal of the individual, or after September 1, 1954, whichever is later.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 89–554, Sept. 6, 1966, 80 Stat. 561.)

## Notes

| Historical and Revision Notes |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Derivation | U.S. Code | Revised Statutes and<br>Statutes at Large |
|  | 5 U.S.C. 2283(a). | Sept. 26, 1961, Pub. L. 87–299, § 1 “Sec. 2(a)”, 75 Stat. 642. |

Standard changes are made to conform with the definitions applicable and the style of this title as outlined in the preface to the report.