Bush is set to hold meetings today with top congressional leaders, as well as presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama. On Wednesday, Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said the administration had agreed to a Democratic proposal to limit executive compensation at government-rescued firms. Paulson announced the concession during a second consecutive day of congressional testimony. Federal Reserve Chair Ben Bernanke told lawmakers the bailout would help stave off economic chaos.

Federal Reserve Chair Ben Bernanke: “I urge the Congress to act quickly to address the grave threats to financial stability that we currently face. Stresses in financial markets have been high and have recently intensified significantly. If financial conditions fail to improve for a protracted period, the implications for the broader economy could be quite adverse.”