The federal government suspended sales of U.S. savings bonds because Congress hasn't lifted the ceiling on government debt. Until Congress acts, the government hasn't any authority to issue new debt obligations of any kind, the Treasury said. The government's borrowing authority dropped at midnight Tuesday to $2.80 trillion from $2.87 trillion. Legislation to lift the debt ceiling is ensnarled in the fight over cutting capital-gains taxes. The House has voted to raise the ceiling to $3.1 trillion, but the Senate isn't expected to act until next week at the earliest. The Treasury said the U.S. will default on Nov. 9 if Congress doesn't act by then. TEXT The federal government suspended sales of U.S. savings bonds because Congress has n't lifted the ceiling on government debt . Until Congress acts , the government has n't any authority to issue new debt obligations of any kind , the Treasury said . The government 's borrowing authority dropped at midnight Tuesday to $ 2.80 trillion from $ 2.87 trillion . Legislation to lift the debt ceiling is ensnarled in the fight over cutting capital-gains taxes . The House has voted to raise the ceiling to $ 3.1 trillion , but the Senate is n't expected to act until next week at the earliest . The Treasury said the U.S. will default on Nov. 9 if Congress does n't act by then . 2~4~6 10~12~14~16~18 14 14~16~18 22 30~32~34~36~38 36~38 45 51~53 59~61 67~69~71~73~75~77 75~77 81~83 90~92~94~96~98 92 104~106 110~112~114 118~120~122 127 133~135~137 145~147 153~155 160~162 172~174 178~180~182 188~190 204~206 210~212 217~219 223~225 233~235 239 249 The federal government|440,448,454 sales of U.S. savings bonds|441 U.S. savings bonds|443 the U.S.|442,469 Congress|444,447,471 the ceiling|445,459,463 government debt|446 any authority|449 new debt obligations of any kind|450 any kind|451 the Treasury|452 The government's borrowing authority|453 midnight Tuesday|455 $2.80 trillion|456 $2.87 trillion|457 Legislation|458 the fight|460 capital-gains taxes|461 The House|462 $3.1 trillion|464 the Senate|465 next week|466 the earliest|467 The Treasury|468 Nov. 9|470,472 440|MOD:DIST:2|MOD:DESC:4|NUC:DIST:6 441|NUC:DIST:10|MOD:DIST:12~14~16~18 442|NUC:DIST:14 443|MOD:DIST:14|MOD:DIST:16|NUC:DIST:18 444|NUC:DIST:22 445|MOD:DIST:30|NUC:DESC:32|MOD:DIST:34~36~38 446|MOD:DIST:36|NUC:DIST:38 447|NUC:DIST:45 448|MOD:DIST:51|NUC:DIST:53 449|MOD:DESC:59|NUC:DIST:61 450|MOD:DESC:67|MOD:DIST:69|NUC:DIST:71|MOD:DESC:73~75~77 451|MOD:DIST:75|NUC:DIST:77 452|MOD:DIST:81|NUC:DIST:83 453|MOD:DIST:90|MOD:DESC:92~94|MOD:DIST:96|NUC:DIST:98 454|NUC:DIST:92 455|NUC:DIST:104|MOD:DIST:106 456|NUC:DIST:110~112~114 457|NUC:DIST:118~120~122 458|NUC:DIST:127 459|MOD:DIST:133|MOD:DIST:135|NUC:DESC:137 460|MOD:DIST:145|NUC:DESC:147 461|MOD:DIST:153|NUC:DIST:155 462|MOD:DIST:160|NUC:DIST:162 463|MOD:DIST:172|NUC:DESC:174 464|NUC:DIST:178~180~182 465|MOD:DIST:188|NUC:DIST:190 466|MOD:DIST:204|NUC:DIST:206 467|MOD:DIST:210|NUC:DIST:212 468|MOD:DIST:217|NUC:DIST:219 469|MOD:DIST:223|NUC:DIST:225 470|NUC:DIST:233~235 471|NUC:DIST:239 472|NUC:DIST:249