Following three hours of debate in the Senate that began in early Wednesday evening, the measure passed by a vote of 74 to 25. This bill mimicked, in many ways, the version the House rejected in that it is based around a plan for the government to buy up toxic debt from beleaguered financial institutions.

The Senate version, though, differs from the earlier measure considered by the House in that it includes several tax incentives. The end result is a price tag that will be higher than the original figure of $700 billion--but also a bill more likely to actually pass.

The bill, for instance, extends several renewable energy tax breaks for both individuals and businesses. It also extends other expiring tax breaks, including an R&D credit for businesses and the deduction of state and local sales taxes on individuals' federal returns. It also provides another year of relief from the much-hated Alternative Minimum Tax, which pushes many middle class taxpayers into a higher tax bracket.

The centerpiece change in the Senate version, though, is a temporary increase in the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.'s cap to $250,000 from $100,000. For all the angst over the concept of a bailout--or as the Administration is now asking people to call it, rescue plan--there are few protesting this particular move.

"Increasing this insurance is an excellent idea," Steve Pumper, executive managing director in Transwestern's Investment Services Group, tells GlobeSt.com. "It may not impact all that many individuals, but it will have a big impact on small businesses."