18 U.S.C. § 506 | Seals of departments or agencies

(a)

Whoever—

(1)

falsely makes, forges, counterfeits, mutilates, or alters the seal of any department or agency of the United States, or any facsimile thereof;

(2)

knowingly uses, affixes, or impresses any such fraudulently made, forged, counterfeited, mutilated, or altered seal or facsimile thereof to or upon any certificate, instrument, commission, document, or paper of any description; or

(3)

with fraudulent intent, possesses, sells, offers for sale, furnishes, offers to furnish, gives away, offers to give away, transports, offers to transport, imports, or offers to import any such seal or facsimile thereof, knowing the same to have been so falsely made, forged, counterfeited, mutilated, or altered,

shall be fined under this title, or imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both.

(b)

Notwithstanding subsection (a) or any other provision of law, if a forged, counterfeited, mutilated, or altered seal of a department or agency of the United States, or any facsimile thereof, is—

(1)

so forged, counterfeited, mutilated, or altered;

(2)

used, affixed, or impressed to or upon any certificate, instrument, commission, document, or paper of any description; or

(3)

with fraudulent intent, possessed, sold, offered for sale, furnished, offered to furnish, given away, offered to give away, transported, offered to transport, imported, or offered to import,

with the intent or effect of facilitating an alien’s application for, or receipt of, a Federal benefit to which the alien is not entitled, the penalties which may be imposed for each offense under subsection (a) shall be two times the maximum fine, and 3 times the maximum term of imprisonment, or both, that would otherwise be imposed for an offense under subsection (a).

(c)

For purposes of this section—

(1)

the term “Federal benefit” means—

(A)

the issuance of any grant, contract, loan, professional license, or commercial license provided by any agency of the United States or by appropriated funds of the United States; and

(B)

1 So in original. Probably should be “42”.

2 So in original. The word “benefits” probably should not appear.

any retirement, welfare, Social Security, health (including treatment of an emergency medical condition in accordance with section 1903(v) of the Social Security Act (19  U.S.C. 1396b(v))), disability, veterans, public housing, education, supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits, or unemployment benefit, or any similar benefit for which payments or assistance are provided by an agency of the United States or by appropriated funds of the United States; and

(2)

each instance of forgery, counterfeiting, mutilation, or alteration shall constitute a separate offense under this section.

June 25, 1948, ch. 645 62 Stat. 714 Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(K)Sept. 13, 1994108 Stat. 2147 Pub. L. 104–208, div. C, title V, § 561Sept. 30, 1996110 Stat. 3009–681 Pub. L. 110–234, title IV, § 4002(b)(1)(E)May 22, 2008122 Stat. 1096 Pub. L. 110–246, § 4(a)June 18, 2008122 Stat. 1664(, ; , , ; , , ; , (2)(M), , , 1097; , title IV, § 4002(b)(1)(E), (2)(M), , , 1857, 1858.)

Historical and revision Notes

June 15, 1917, ch. 30 40 Stat. 228Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 131 (, title X, § 2, ).

section 2 of this titleReference to persons causing, procuring, aiding or assisting was omitted as unnecessary as such persons are made principals by .

section 6 of this titleIn view of definitions of department and agency in , words “department or agency” in first paragraph were substituted for “executive department, or any bureau, commission, or office”.

section 505 of this titleProvision for 10 years’ imprisonment was reduced to 5 years to conform to punishment provision in , covering an offense of like gravity.

Minor changes in phraseology were also made.

Editorial Notes

Codification

Pub. L. 110–234 Pub. L. 110–246 Pub. L. 110–234 section 4(a) of Pub. L. 110–246 and made identical amendments to this section. The amendments by were repealed by .

Amendments

Pub. L. 110–246, § 4002(b)(1)(E)2008—Subsec. (c)(1)(B). , (2)(M), substituted “supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits” for “food stamps”.

Pub. L. 104–2081996— reenacted section catchline without change and amended text generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows:

“Whoever falsely makes, forges, counterfeits, mutilates, or alters the seal of any department or agency of the United States; or

“Whoever knowingly uses, affixes, or impresses any such fraudulently made, forged, counterfeited, mutilated, or altered seal to or upon any certificate, instrument, commission, document, or paper, of any description; or

“Whoever, with fraudulent intent, possesses any such seal, knowing the same to have been so falsely made, forged, counterfeited, mutilated, or altered—

“Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.”

Pub. L. 103–3221994— substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $5,000”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2008 Amendment

Pub. L. 110–234 Pub. L. 110–246May 22, 2008Pub. L. 110–234 section 4 of Pub. L. 110–246 section 8701 of Title 7Amendment of this section and repeal of by effective , the date of enactment of , except as otherwise provided, see , set out as an Effective Date note under , Agriculture.

Pub. L. 110–246Oct. 1, 2008section 4407 of Pub. L. 110–246 section 1161 of Title 2Amendment by section 4002(b)(1)(E), (2)(M) of effective , see , set out as a note under , The Congress.