From CNN: New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg joined lawmakers, police and fire officials on Monday in urging U.S. Senate passage of a health-care bill benefiting 9/11 rescue workers.

The bill has been in legislative limbo since Thursday, when Senate Democrats failed to win a procedural vote to open debate on it. Republicans complained that the $7.4 billion price tag was too high, while Democrats said the government had an obligation to help the first responders in the deadliest terrorism attack in U.S. history.

But on Sunday, the Democrats said they were hopeful they had pulled off "a Christmas miracle," changing the way the fund would be paid for and cutting its total cost in response to Republican concerns. Instead of coming with a $7.4 billion price tag, the bill will now cost $6.2 billion over 10 years, after a court settlement that benefited some of the responders. Read the entire article here.