Just after 9:30 Wednesday night, the full Senate passed a $700 billion rescue plan to revive the credit and mortgage markets. The final tally was a lopsided vote of 74 to 25. The passage came two days after Republicans -- fearing a voter backlash at the polls -- torpedoed the House version of the bill. However, senators stuffed their version of the bailout legislation with tax breaks and other sweeteners. House members were slated to return to work Thursday redrafting the bill that was defeated on Monday. It appears that mortgage "cramdown" language will not be included, but some liberal members of Congress are still holding out hope that it may be.
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