History of U.S. Treasury Bills. Treasury bills are short-term securities with original-issue maturities of 4, 13, 26, or 52 weeks; and cash management bills, whose maturities vary. The first bill issued on a regular basis was the 13-week bill, beginning in December 1929. By 1972, there were regular issues of 13, 26, and 52- week bills. Cash management bills are issued to bridge seasonal low-points in the Treasury cash balance.