Overview:
The Denial of Federal Benefits (DFB) Program provides state and federal courts—as part of the sentencing process—with the ability to deny all or selected federal benefits to individuals who are convicted of drug trafficking or drug possession. Examples of benefits denied include (1) business owners losing Small Business Administration loans or the right to contract with the Federal Government, (2) researchers losing eligibility to apply for grants, (3) broadcasters or pilots losing Federal Communications Commission or Federal Aviation Administration licenses, and (4) doctors losing the authority to prescribe medicine.
The DFB sanction can be imposed in combination with other sanctions, and courts have the option to deny all or some benefits and determine the length of the denial period based on the nature of the crime. When denial of benefits is part of a sentence, the sentencing court notifies the BJA Denial of Federal Benefits Program Clearinghouse, which in turn informs the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). GSA publishes the names of individuals who are denied benefits in the Lists of Parties Excluded From Federal Procurement or Nonprocurement Programs, which is commonly referred to as the Debarment List.
Legislation: The Denial of Federal Benefits Program was established under Section 5301 of the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988 (Public Law 100-690).
Funding: This program does not offer any funding.
Eligibility: At the discretion of the court, any individual who is convicted of any state or federal offense consisting of the distribution or the possession of a controlled substance may be denied federal benefits. See Overview of the Program for more information.
How/When To Apply: No grant monies or awards are associated with the DFB Program.
Related Publications:
Denial of Federal Benefits Program and Clearinghouse (Program Brief) HTML or PDF
Denial of Federal Benefits for Drug Offenders Program Guide
Contact Information:
Denial of Federal Benefits Program Clearinghouse
Bureau of Justice Assistance
Office of Justice Programs
810 Seventh Street NW.
Washington, DC 20531
Telephone: 301-937-1542
Email:DFB@ojp.gov
Fax: 301-937-1543
