Washington, D.C. ? A Senate committee Wednesday embraced legislation that would for the first time allow federal regulation of cigarettes.

The bill – approved 13-8 by the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee – would give the Food and Drug Administration authority to restrict tobacco advertising, regulate warning labels and remove hazardous ingredients.

The agency also would gain the authority to set standards for products that tobacco companies advertise as “reduced risk” products.

The bill has broad bipartisan support in the Senate, where more than 50 senators have signed on as co-sponsors. A similar bill passed the chamber in 2004 but was blocked in the House.

The bill would allow the FDA to reduce the amount of nicotine in cigarettes, but only Congress could permanently ban them.