Debt limit · 2011, Daily Treasury Statement, Table IIIC

How close did US debt come to its ceiling in 2011?

In 2011, through , room under the debt limit was lowest on , at $23.00 million; it was under $1 billion on 54 statement days.

Room left under the debt limit, each statement day of 2011

251 statements, to Lowest on

Room left under the debt limit, each statement day, 3 January 2011 to 30 December 2011

Debt subject to the limit and the statutory limit, each statement day of 2011

251 statements, to Lowest on

Debt subject to the limit and the statutory limit, each statement day, 3 January 2011 to 30 December 2011, Room under the limit shaded

The tinted band is the room between the debt subject to the limit and the statutory limit (U.S. Treasury, Fiscal Data, Daily Treasury Statement, Debt Subject to Limit): debt $15.18T, limit $15.19T, room $13.66B on .

The linesLatest:

  • Debt subject to the limit$15.18T
  • Statutory limit$15.19T

Treasury's cash balance at the close of each statement day of 2011

251 statements, to Lowest on

Treasury's cash balance at the close of each statement day, 3 January 2011 to 30 December 2011

Each point is one Daily Treasury Statement; pointing at the chart shows its date and figures. A gap is a day the limit was suspended.

Select a line to followLatest:

Inspect and compare dates

The year's last statement beside the day room left was lowest and the year's first statement. Every statement day of 2011 is in the table under "The numbers behind the chart".

The debt limit in 2011: the last statement beside earlier ones ($ million)
MeasureLast statementLowest roomFirst statement
Statement day
Subject to the limit15,180,33714,293,97713,945,278
Statutory limit15,194,00014,294,00014,294,000
Room left13,66323348,722
Cash balance85,737109,620107,235

Observed .

In 2011

Room left fell from $348.72 billion on to $13.66 billion on .

Room left was under $1 billion on 54 statement days of the year's 251.

Every year, side by side

The limit

From , the limit was $14.69 trillion, up from $14.29 trillion.

From , the limit was $15.19 trillion, up from $14.69 trillion.

The limit in force today

Understanding near the limit

Where it stands today

Room left was under $1 billion on 54 statement days of 2011; the lowest was $23.00 million, on .

What counts as near the limit?

A statement day counts as near the limit when room left is under $1 billion: under extraordinary measures Treasury keeps a small room, never exactly zero.

The numbers behind the chart

What did each statement day of 2011 say?251 days, newest first, $ million
Each Daily Treasury Statement of 2011 ($ million)
DateSubject to the limitLimitRoom leftCash balance
15,180,33715,194,00013,66385,737
15,083,02315,194,000110,97790,975
15,082,33215,194,000111,66891,418
15,087,70415,194,000106,296101,791
15,085,67115,194,000108,32998,881
15,080,81815,194,000113,182101,832
15,080,93115,194,000113,069106,592
15,089,06315,194,000104,937113,962
15,061,13315,194,000132,867118,682
15,056,55815,194,000137,442113,655
15,055,15315,194,000138,847106,625
15,008,36815,194,000185,63225,651
Show 239 more rows
Each Daily Treasury Statement of 2011 ($ million) (continued)
DateSubject to the limitLimitRoom leftCash balance
15,017,35015,194,000176,65027,836
15,011,08815,194,000182,91232,270
15,009,49615,194,000184,50415,310
15,008,20715,194,000185,79318,700
15,003,44515,194,000190,55521,747
15,028,66615,194,000165,33419,891
15,025,16915,194,000168,83126,961
15,030,39715,194,000163,60326,857
15,045,45315,194,000148,54748,807
15,067,51615,194,000126,48485,605
15,009,48515,194,000184,51533,184
15,006,98915,194,000187,01137,786
15,004,17215,194,000189,82838,427
14,991,17415,194,000202,82634,535
15,003,27815,194,000190,72242,518
14,997,56915,194,000196,43147,420
14,995,47115,194,000198,52945,914
14,994,60715,194,000199,39348,216
14,982,27615,194,000211,72444,782
14,988,88315,194,000205,11749,258
14,933,15515,194,000260,84533,235
14,934,85615,194,000259,14420,307
14,928,54815,194,000265,45224,193
14,937,68215,194,000256,31833,723
14,931,74115,194,000262,25940,732
14,927,88015,194,000266,12039,732
14,928,43715,194,000265,56341,359
14,933,17315,194,000260,82763,901
14,927,03615,194,000266,96461,034
14,948,90515,194,000245,09597,285
14,894,27315,194,000299,72744,061
14,895,98015,194,000298,02050,021
14,893,41215,194,000300,58855,187
14,900,00815,194,000293,99263,440
14,897,05715,194,000296,94367,779
14,895,58915,194,000298,41165,137
14,896,71315,194,000297,28768,766
14,887,67515,194,000306,32568,392
14,899,12115,194,000294,87977,626
14,892,95215,194,000301,04884,733
14,830,38015,194,000363,62016,185
14,830,20615,194,000363,79424,516
14,824,53815,194,000369,46217,681
14,819,62215,194,000374,37822,479
14,816,60415,194,000377,39622,023
14,793,03715,194,000400,96325,089
14,814,31215,194,000379,68831,623
14,813,11115,194,000380,88928,827
14,793,34115,194,000400,65934,171
14,746,55315,194,000447,44756,284
14,649,96215,194,000544,03842,109
14,656,74015,194,000537,26044,942
14,662,25415,194,000531,74655,321
14,658,84315,194,000535,15759,396
14,654,84815,194,000539,15256,930
14,681,58815,194,000512,41259,579
14,660,00314,694,00033,99774,216
14,666,67814,694,00027,32279,414
14,684,28414,694,0009,71664,186
14,653,78714,694,00040,21359,895
14,651,71814,694,00042,28256,902
14,638,66314,694,00055,33716,083
14,672,61014,694,00021,39019,604
14,642,99114,694,00051,00914,177
14,666,43914,694,00027,56110,572
14,640,24114,694,00053,75914,779
14,672,45014,694,00021,55022,841
14,653,30814,694,00040,69212,233
14,649,50314,694,00044,49716,280
14,652,04614,694,00041,95441,146
14,638,92114,694,00055,07942,481
14,574,48714,694,000119,51312,324
14,576,62414,694,000117,37619,715
14,605,62814,694,00088,37216,021
14,605,33814,694,00088,66219,654
14,590,92014,694,000103,08010,896
14,601,09114,694,00092,90920,981
14,564,22614,694,000129,77427,962
14,590,99814,694,000103,00225,208
14,571,94414,694,000122,05610,013
14,564,94314,694,000129,0578,905
14,543,98114,694,000150,01919,565
14,567,29514,694,000126,70520,792
14,538,88914,694,000155,11122,592
14,539,59714,694,000154,40324,167
14,533,64414,694,000160,35614,599
14,543,66914,694,000150,33122,949
14,539,39414,694,000154,60629,504
14,536,13014,694,000157,87028,054
14,516,59214,694,000177,40812,766
14,526,24714,694,000167,75332,271
14,532,33314,694,000161,66752,068
14,293,97514,294,0002566,958
14,293,97614,294,0002465,172
14,293,97614,294,0002451,565
14,293,97514,294,0002566,757
14,293,97514,294,0002574,996
14,293,97514,294,0002581,540
14,293,97514,294,0002577,432
14,293,97614,294,0002483,542
14,293,97614,294,0002496,422
14,293,97514,294,00025101,906
14,293,97514,294,00025107,369
14,293,97514,294,0002597,837
14,293,97614,294,0002435,827
14,293,97514,294,0002539,416
14,293,97614,294,0002446,846
14,293,97514,294,0002552,770
14,293,97614,294,0002452,040
14,293,97514,294,0002557,224
14,293,97614,294,0002467,270
14,293,97614,294,0002471,295
14,293,97614,294,0002466,806
14,293,97614,294,00024130,130
14,293,97614,294,00024105,582
14,293,97514,294,00025103,446
14,293,97614,294,00024110,918
14,293,97614,294,00024107,596
14,293,97514,294,00025113,145
14,293,97614,294,00024129,694
14,293,97514,294,00025134,570
14,293,97614,294,00024124,931
14,293,97614,294,00024117,778
14,293,97714,294,00023118,015
14,293,97614,294,00024126,428
14,293,97514,294,0002542,002
14,293,97614,294,0002437,104
14,293,97614,294,0002420,027
14,293,97614,294,0002423,737
14,293,97614,294,0002423,496
14,293,97614,294,0002430,712
14,293,97614,294,0002437,348
14,293,97514,294,0002537,558
14,293,97614,294,0002463,086
14,293,97614,294,0002473,973
14,293,97614,294,00024112,645
14,293,97614,294,0002455,295
14,293,97614,294,0002454,144
14,293,97614,294,0002473,694
14,293,97614,294,0002482,038
14,293,97714,294,0002388,543
14,293,97514,294,0002585,284
14,293,97614,294,0002489,685
14,293,97714,294,00023109,620
14,293,97614,294,00024121,076
14,293,97514,294,00025127,514
14,256,78614,294,00037,21469,068
14,256,18814,294,00037,81274,718
14,270,44414,294,00023,55687,894
14,279,89514,294,00014,10596,148
14,274,14414,294,00019,856103,389
14,271,00914,294,00022,991101,854
14,269,97614,294,00024,024104,160
14,282,17514,294,00011,825125,397
14,280,14114,294,00013,859121,031
14,268,98414,294,00025,016144,911
14,235,93914,294,00058,06199,447
14,230,57414,294,00063,426115,504
14,243,11114,294,00050,889126,185
14,252,38214,294,00041,618131,725
14,246,88714,294,00047,113107,432
14,241,15914,294,00052,84191,219
14,238,69314,294,00055,30790,067
14,262,70714,294,00031,293113,160
14,268,36614,294,00025,634106,477
14,257,04214,294,00036,95888,841
14,253,17914,294,00040,82158,267
14,218,62114,294,00075,37929,595
14,211,98414,294,00082,01624,772
14,220,81514,294,00073,18523,961
14,215,56914,294,00078,43124,043
14,213,15014,294,00080,85023,405
14,211,99914,294,00082,00134,939
14,207,59414,294,00086,40640,962
14,209,96214,294,00084,03838,466
14,191,73614,294,000102,26448,129
14,198,93614,294,00095,06448,285
14,217,86114,294,00076,139111,203
14,157,94314,294,000136,05759,201
14,163,53314,294,000130,46751,634
14,159,34214,294,000134,65859,127
14,159,26414,294,000134,73657,418
14,157,78914,294,000136,21167,387
14,172,73414,294,000121,26671,748
14,181,28014,294,000112,72080,521
14,175,90014,294,000118,10088,437
14,172,52514,294,000121,47589,024
14,171,37914,294,000122,621103,183
14,180,51414,294,000113,486101,471
14,185,60214,294,000108,39899,451
14,113,66514,294,000180,33524,231
14,111,95014,294,000182,05014,159
14,111,00814,294,000182,99226,987
14,130,32014,294,000163,68028,671
14,140,81814,294,000153,18237,104
14,133,79414,294,000160,20637,039
14,130,20714,294,000163,79331,955
14,129,65214,294,000164,34852,212
14,126,12114,294,000167,87949,542
14,120,53914,294,000173,46154,981
14,142,33014,294,000151,67088,632
14,085,13714,294,000208,86334,725
14,067,39314,294,000226,60732,076
14,073,06914,294,000220,93123,123
14,076,14914,294,000217,85139,387
14,072,36314,294,000221,63740,413
14,071,10514,294,000222,89559,742
14,077,43014,294,000216,57054,561
14,085,61014,294,000208,39056,656
14,029,07014,294,000264,93041,241
14,030,17714,294,000263,82336,429
14,030,79414,294,000263,20663,215
14,046,33414,294,000247,66662,516
14,057,95014,294,000236,05073,536
14,051,53514,294,000242,46581,550
14,047,29214,294,000246,70882,862
14,047,87914,294,000246,121102,332
14,063,99214,294,000230,008117,875
14,057,30714,294,000236,693113,597
14,078,50014,294,000215,500147,189
14,003,98814,294,000290,01273,689
14,006,87014,294,000287,13081,474
14,007,50314,294,000286,49794,186
14,014,94914,294,000279,05195,774
14,009,70214,294,000284,29894,280
14,007,55314,294,000286,44788,097
14,003,71414,294,000290,28693,400
14,000,94514,294,000293,05594,123
13,999,79914,294,000294,20191,745
13,955,30114,294,000338,69941,191
13,954,56014,294,000339,44062,076
13,957,82414,294,000336,17675,569
13,966,97914,294,000327,02185,865
13,961,75014,294,000332,25091,388
13,956,78114,294,000337,21991,471
13,959,13714,294,000334,86396,517
13,958,90214,294,000335,098105,713
13,961,40914,294,000332,591100,464
13,945,27814,294,000348,722107,235

The table scrolls sideways; the first column stays in place.

What were the year's figures, at a glance?2011
The debt limit in 2011
MeasureValue
Statement days held251
Lowest room left ($ million)23
Day of the lowest room
Near the limit: room under this amount ($ million)1,000
Statement days near the limit54
Statement days with the limit suspended0
How much room was left at the end of each month of 2011?$ million
Last statement day of each month ($ million)
MonthDateSubject to the limitLimitRoom leftCash balance
January 201114,078,50014,294,000215,500147,189
February 201114,142,33014,294,000151,67088,632
March 201114,217,86114,294,00076,139111,203
April 201114,235,93914,294,00058,06199,447
May 201114,293,97614,294,00024112,645
June 201114,293,97614,294,00024130,130
July 201114,293,97614,294,0002465,172
August 201114,638,92114,694,00055,07942,481
September 201114,746,55315,194,000447,44756,284
October 201114,948,90515,194,000245,09597,285
November 201115,067,51615,194,000126,48485,605
December 201115,180,33715,194,00013,66385,737

The table scrolls sideways; the first column stays in place.

When did the limit change in 2011?A dash means suspended
Changes in the statutory limit ($ million; a dash means suspended)
First statement dayLimit beforeLimit after
14,294,00014,694,000
14,694,00015,194,000
When are the figures from?

Observed .

Room under the limit from the U.S. Treasury, Fiscal Data.

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