US begins ‘extraordinary measures’ to avert debt default: Treasury

WASHINGTON: The US Treasury started taking measures Thursday to stop a default on authorities debt, as Congress heads in direction of a high-stakes conflict between Democrats and Republicans over elevating the borrowing restrict.
Such “extraordinary measures” can assist scale back the quantity of excellent debt topic to the restrict, at present set at $31.4 trillion, however the Treasury has warned that the instruments would solely assist for a restricted time – possible not longer than six months.
“I respectfully urge Congress to behave promptly to guard the total religion and credit score of america,” stated Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen in a letter to Congressional management on Thursday.
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Because of the debt restrict, the Treasury Division can be unable to completely make investments a portion of the Civil Service Retirement and Incapacity Fund, with a “debt issuance suspension interval” to final till early June.
Treasury may also halt extra investments of quantities credited to the Postal Service Retiree Well being Advantages Fund, Yellen stated.
The world’s largest economic system might face extreme disruption, with Republicans threatening to refuse the same old annual rubber stamping of a rise within the authorized borrowing restrict, probably pushing america into default.