By passing the $700 billion rescue for Wall Street Wednesday, the U.S. Senate acted in the country's best interests.

The Senate voted 74-25 in favor of the plan which is designed to avert economic disaster. That action places more pressure on the House to approve the plan that it voted down a few days before.

The package gives Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson authority to rescue troubled financial institutions by using taxpayer dollars to purchase distressed assets. That authority expires on the last day of 2009, with a one-year extension if needed.

To help the measure, the Senate added a provision that empowers the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. to increase the size of bank deposits it insures from $100,000 to $250,000 for one year.

Popular tax breaks were added to sweeten the deal, including a provision to better protect middle-class wage earners from the Alternative Minimum Tax. The AMT, a parallel tax system that eliminates many deductions and credits, originally targeted the wealthy but because it has not been adjusted for inflation, recently has affected more middle-class taxpayers.

The measure extends tax breaks for renewable-energy enterprises and would start a program requiring insurers to offer mental health coverage on a par with other medical benefits.

There are taxpayer protections, such as giving the U.S. government non-voting stock in firms that benefit from the program. Limits to executive pay are built in as well as oversight provisions.

The House is expected to vote on the measure soon, most likely today. The intention of the plan is to stabilize the financial system, ease credit and get the economy moving. The House must approve the legislation to avoid calamity.