By 86-11, the U.S. Senate Nov. 19 approved a bill providing insurers a temporary, federally funded backstop against future insurance claims arising from terrorism.

The bill calls for a three-year program in which the federal government would pick up 90 percent of the tab for future terror-related insurance claims, once the industry had paid deductibles equal to 7 percent of annual premiums in the first year, rising to 15 percent in the second year.

"Terrorism insurance will help get America's hard hats back on the job, create new jobs for America's workers and spur billions in new investment in construction projects all across the country," President Bush said in a statement.