Yellen tells Congress US expected to hit debt limit Thursday

Yellen said it is “critical that Congress act in a timely manner” to increase or suspend the debt limit.

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National News

January 13, 2023 - 3:50 PM

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Oct. 4, 2022. (Yuri Gripas/Abaca Press/TNS) Photo by Yuri Gripas/Abaca Press/TNS

WASHINGTON (AP) — Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen notified Congress on Friday that the U.S. is projected to reach its debt limit on Thursday and will then resort to “extraordinary measures” to avoid default.

In a letter to House and Senate leaders, Yellen said her actions will buy time until Congress can pass legislation that will either raise the nation’s $31.4 trillion borrowing authority or suspend it again for a period of time.

Those measures include divesting some payments, such as contributions to federal employees’ retirement plans, in order to provide some headroom to make other payments that are deemed essential, including those for Social Security and debt instruments.

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