WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Congress must avoid self-inflicted wounds from a political stalemate and act on policies that will boost economic growth, U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew said on Thursday.

Congress had to agree to fund the government to avoid the threat of another shutdown, deal with the debt limit and take action on International Monetary Fund reforms, Lew told reporters on the sidelines of the IMF annual meeting.

(Reporting by Krista Hughes; Editing by Leslie Adler)