4 Ways US Treasury Can Pay Bills Without Borrowing

A customer counts his cash at the register while purchasing an item at a Best Buy store in Flushing, New York, on March 27, 2010. REUTERS/Jessica Rinaldi

The United States has nearly reached its $31.4 trillion debt ceiling, so the Treasury must now manage the nation’s bills without resorting to borrowing.

That’s a challenge because the government operates on a deficit budget, spending more money than it takes in. Normally the Treasury borrows to cover the shortfall. But Congress places a limit on the amount of debt the country can hold.