---
type: "LegalText"
title: "38 U.S.C. § 5501"
description: "Commitment actions"
jurisdiction: "us"
corpus: "united_states_code"
kind: "code_section"
title_number: 38
title_name: "VETERANS’ BENEFITS"
chapter_number: "55"
chapter_name: "MINORS, INCOMPETENTS, AND OTHER WARDS"
section: "5501"
citation: "38 U.S.C. § 5501"
status: "current"
release_point: "119-100"
release_date: "2026-06-26"
source: "official"
source_url: "https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/100/xml_usc38@119-100.zip"
source_identifier: "/us/usc/t38/s5501"
source_file: "data/legal/raw/us/code/title-38/usc38.xml"
source_hash: "ff2142577b9f67630724c79d9aab83c93fe7663a03713b2df3f3d1078416bdb3"
raw_snapshot_hash: "372998691b72ade88787dfa7633dbda4954bd1b037ec7926c5e06e9b1d17fc66"
text_hash: "80134d298e6b058e84fab44a0dc2dd79952a051f6bbe439f88fa34cf989970d9"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-04"
confidence: "official"
tags: ["legal", "us-code"]
---

# 38 U.S.C. § 5501 - Commitment actions

## Text

The Secretary may incur necessary court costs and other expenses incident to proceedings for the commitment of mentally incompetent veterans to a Department hospital or domiciliary when necessary for treatment or domiciliary purposes.

(Pub. L. 85–857, Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1232, § 3201; renumbered § 5501, Pub. L. 102–40, title IV, § 402(b)(1), May 7, 1991, 105 Stat. 238; amended Pub. L. 102–83, § 4(a)(3), (4), (b)(1), (2)(E), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 404, 405.)

## Notes

Editorial Notes

Amendments1991—Pub. L. 102–40 renumbered section 3201 of this title as this section. Pub. L. 102–83, § 4(b)(1), (2)(E), substituted “Secretary” for “Administrator”. Pub. L. 102–83, § 4(a)(3), (4), substituted “Department” for “Veterans’ Administration”.