Statement on the Civil Rights Bill (HR 7152)

-4- Member of the Senate to examine carefully every provision, and to create a meaningful and productive dialogue on the many-faceted issues involved. If the Senate does less it will fail to discharge its obligation to the nation and, above all, to those who are supposed to be aided by this bill. In the absence of committee consideration, the only recourse is to a thorough and searching debate in the Senate itself. The potential impact of this bill, as is the case with all such bills, will bear most heavily on my section of the country. But Senators from States where the Negro population is negligible must not act under an illusion that this bill will not affect their States. The whole of our society will be profoundly affected by this bill. I hope, Mr. President, that a meaningful debate will be held -- going over this bill section by section and line by line. Testimony from outside witnesses — expert