The ever so ‘spectacular’ happenings in the US Senate never fail to surprise either the spectators or the participants – with the latest activity abuzz about the earlier rejected $700 billion bailout with new provisions. The bailout bill now includes a mental health bill, and millions of dollars of sweeteners, coming with self-important proclamations mixed with stories of hardship in everyday America.

In fact, the bailout package at the heart of the debate was thrown into a piece of legislation entitled “an act to amend section 712 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 . . . to require equity in the provision of mental health and substance-related disorder benefits under group health plans”.

Not just the mental health bill, there were a range of tax credits for energy efficiency, long sought by the Democrats, and other tax breaks championed by Republicans. Also benefiting from the bill is the industry responsible for the manufacture of wooden arrows for children.

With a view to put pressure on the House of Representatives, the senators’ debate on the latest incarnation of the Bush administration’s financial bailout package was chiefly intended at an overwhelming majority for its passage – resulting in a successful 74 votes to 25.

As the senators gave their assent to the bill, Mitch McConnell, the Republican minority leader, said: “This is a big moment in the Senate; this is the kind of vote we were sent by our people to cast.” He added: “Right in the middle of the heat of a presidential election, we have been able to . . . come together and do something important for our country. I think it is one of the finest moments in the history of the Senate.”

Both Barack Obama and John McCain had returned to Washington to vote ‘Yes’. Obama said on the Senate floor: “This is not just a Wall Street crisis; it’s an American crisis, and it’s the American economy that needs this rescue plan.”