Ahead Of The Bell: Senate Considers Tobacco Bill

NEW YORK (AP) — The Senate is expected on Wednesday to resume consideration of and possibly vote on a bill which would give the Food and Drug Administration authority to regulate tobacco products.

A major obstacle to passage was cleared away Tuesday when the Senate rejected the main challenge to the legislation, a competing bill from the two senators from North Carolina, the nation's biggest tobacco producer. The alternative was proposed by Republican Richard Burr and Democrat Kay Hagan.

The base bill, sponsored by Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., would give the FDA authority to regulate the production, sale and marketing of tobacco products to protect the public health. ...