U.S. Congress is currently reviewing a $700 billion plan

Half the battle with this financial crisis is finding a way to address distress / bad mortgage assets / bonds. The U.S. Congress is currently reviewing a $700 billion plan to address the above, although the plan could differ considerably from the U.S. Treasury's proposal. The other part of the battle is maintaining liquidity for day-to-day operations in finance and the "real economy." Swap lines will help achieve this goal. The swaps are the (roughly) corporate equivalent of 'keeping ATMs stocked with plenty of cash' for commercial customers.