The Treasury has been borrowing money from the federal employee pension fund in order to pay its debts, pushing back the deadline before which Congress must raise the debt limit, the Associated Press reports.
In a letter to congressional leaders, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geither explained that the maneuver will free up $156 billion, one of several tricks the treasury is using to continue to pay its obligations. Such maneuvers will run out by mid-February to early March.
The United States officially hit its debt limit on Dec. 31. Geithner said pensions will not be affected by the move and that the funds will be replaced.
