Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has warned the US Congress that the federal government may run out of cash to pay its bills as soon as June 1st without a debt limit increase, a date that has taken into account April tax receipts. The possibility of such a scenario has compounded the extreme rhetoric around fiscal budget discussions between Democratic and Republican leaders in both chambers of Congress, as well as the White House. The Republicans-led House has passed a bill stating that the debt ceiling and other considerations will be raised if major spending cuts to healthcare and 'climate-friendly' sources of energy are put in place. Yellen is urging Congress to act quickly to raise the limit, which caps the total amount of money the United States can borrow. Failure to do so, as warned by economists, could result in a financial crisis with far-reaching consequences. With the deadline fast approaching, actions will have to be taken soon to prevent a default on the nation's debt.