Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned Congress that the country could hit the debt ceiling as soon as Jan. 14 in a letter sent Friday.

WASHINGTON—Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said the U.S. will hit its borrowing limit in the middle of next month, triggering the use of “extraordinary measures” to keep the federal government from defaulting on its obligations.

The notification to Congress is the clearest sign yet that the fight to avoid default will likely take place in the early months of the new Trump administration.

The Treasury secretary urged Congress to protect the full faith and credit of the United States by raising the debt limit.

The Treasury Department may need to take “extraordinary measures” by as early as Jan. 14 to prevent the US from defaulting on its debt, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told lawmakers in a letter on Friday. Yellen urged lawmakers in Congress to act “to protect the full faith and credit of the United States.”

Outgoing Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen issued a dire warning that "extraordinary measures" will need to be taken to avoid a default on U.S. debt if Congress does not act to raise the debt ceiling soon,

Janet Yellen is asking Congress to raise or suspend the debt limit so the treasury can keep paying its bills until June.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned Congress on Friday that "extraordinary measures" will be necessary as early as Jan. 14 unless Congress acts to raise or otherwise suspend the debt ceiling. Why it matters: President-elect Trump has voiced support to abolish the debt limit despite some of his supporters historically opposing action to raise the debt ceiling during Democratic administrations.