As she exited the job, Treasury Secretary Yellen urged Congress to increase or suspend the debt ceiling—and detailed actions Treasury is taking, starting today, to keep the nation solvent.

The US Treasury Department will start taking "extraordinary measures" next week to avoid risking a default on government debt, Secretary Janet Yellen said Friday, days before President-elect Donald Trump takes office.

The breach of the debt ceiling officially starts the clock on how long Trump and Congress will have to act to avoid a financially catastrophic default.