Reality check: why US can’t just prioritize its debts

David Gamage quoted in NBC Bay Area, October 17, 2013

“Right now, Treasury’s computer systems are designed to pay bills in the order they come in,” Gamage said. “There is no programming in order to prioritize payments. That’s largely because it’s illegal to prioritize payments.” To take it a step further, even if Treasury tried to manipulate its computer systems, Gamage said there could still be disastrous consequences.