The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was the result of one of the most contentious debates in history in the House and Senate. It is also the largest civil rights law ever passed. The bill actually evolved from previous civil rights bills of the late 1950s and early 1960s. The bill ultimately passed both houses on July 2, 1964 and was was signed into law at 6:55 p.m. EST by President Lyndon Johnson. The law was originally written in 1962 under President Kennedy, before his assassination. The bill grew out of two other bills, one of which was the Equal Opportunity Act of 1962, which was never passed. This bill constituted the bulk of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Bureau of National Affairs 18-20). Many groups were involved in the process of developing the bill and helping it become law. The main groups supporting passage of the bill were the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, the AFL-CIO industrial unions, many religious groups, the White House, the Justice Department, and many Democrats and Republicans from the North. The main groups opposing the bill were the Coordinating Committee for Basic American Liberties, funded largely by Mississippi, and the Southern Democratic Caucus (Bickel 17). These groups voiced their opinions and helped representatives decide how they should vote. The many groups involved crossed partisan lines to debate and vote in favor of a bill aimed at making America better. Any bill that becomes law must pass the House of Representatives and the Senate with a favorable vote. The civil rights bill easily passed the House, with northern Democrats and Republican supporters securing a 290-130 vote. Lyndon Johnson said after the bill passed the House that he was “...... middle of paper... ....Rican-American and the quest for civil rights, 1900-1990. New York University Press, 1991. Eagles, Charles W. The Civil Rights Movement in America. Univ. by Mississippi Press, 1986. Encyclopedia Britannica. “Civil Rights Act of 1963.” Volume 3: Ceara-Delva, 1998. 15th edition, Chicago. 172-174.Kenworthy, E.W. "The civil rights bill passed the House in a vote of 290-130; the Senate was seen to the right." New York Times February 10, 1964. Layman, Richard. “Civil Rights Act of 1964.” American decades: 1960-1969. Pub. By Gale Research, Inc. 1995. 78-83. “Now the discussion begins. » Time February 21, 1964: 22. “Are now equally equal. » Newsweek July 13, 1964: 17. "Summary of Provisions of Bill on Rights." » New York Times February 10, 1964. “The Captain and the Ship.” Time February 14, 1964: 13. “The courted and the courters”. Time July 10 1964: 26.