George W. Bush stepped up to the podium, flanked by his advisors, and signed the historic Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008. This massive $700 billion bailout plan aimed to rescue the U.S. financial system from the brink of collapse. The law allowed the Treasury Department to purchase or insure up to $700 billion in troubled assets, injecting much-needed capital into ailing banks and financial institutions. The move was a bold response to the subprime mortgage crisis, which had triggered a global credit crunch and widespread panic. Bush's signature marked a turning point in the crisis, stabilizing markets and paving the way for a slow, arduous recovery.