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Tobacco legislation clears Congress 

It was Waxman, as chairman of a health subcommittee, who chaired a set of famous hearings in 1994 in which he lined up tobacco CEOs and quizzed them under oath about the industry's use of nicotine and advertising to attract individuals to smoking. Their denials -- and subsequent disclosures -- helped to erode the industry's credibility with many voters, but with the Republican takeover in 1994, Waxman also lost his power to really effect legislation.

By contrast today, the Californian is now chairman of the full Energy and Commerce panel and his chief aide at the time of the hearings, Phil Schiliro, is the chief congressional liaison for Obama. Kennedy's own return to power in the same period has been overtaken by cancer, making it impossible for him to participate in the Senate debate this week. But he remains active, each day making phone calls to colleagues, and Pelosi cited his role in the closing House debate Friday.

Trying to spark conservative opposition, Buyer also repeatedly referred to the legislation as the "Kennedy bill," but in truth, Senate Republicans played a major role in seeing the measure through Congress. Wyoming Sen. Mike Enzi, the ranking Republican on Kennedy's committee, won a series of changes even after the bill had been reported from committee, and this cooperation helped Democrats win a pivotal 61-30 vote on Monday that set the tone for this week.

On each successive Senate vote, the Republican support increased and a solid majority of 23, including Enzi, broke with their leadership to support the bill. In the House, a majority of Republicans opposed the bill, but Democrats still picked up close to 70 votes from the minority.

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