ANDREW MIGA
Associated Press

WASHINGTON - Republican and Democratic senators have reached a deal on a scaled-down bill to help 9/11 first responders who became sick from having worked in the dust of the World Trade Center.

Congressional aides close to the negotiations tell The Associated Press that the deal calls for providing up to $4 billion in health care and economic aid over five years to first responders and survivors of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorism attacks.

The aides - three Democratic and one Republican - verified the deal Wednesday but said they couldn't talk about it openly.

The measure is about $2 billion less than the bill proposed earlier this week by Democratic Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York.

Both the Senate and the House were expected to vote on the measure later Wednesday.


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