Changes

In 2007, after serving in the Senate for nearly 50 years, and holding several prominent Committee chairmanships and Leadership posts, as Appropriations Chairman in the [[110th Congress]], Byrd finally required Democrat staff on his committee to provide him with a detailed disclosure of any direct or indirect [[conflict of interest]] they may have as a result of actions taken by the panel.<ref>[http://www.rollcall.com/issues/52_147/news/19169-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS Byrd Issues Tougher Staff Conflict Rules], By John Stanton, ''Roll Call'', June 27, 2007.</ref>

In 2007, after serving in the Senate for nearly 50 years, and holding several prominent Committee chairmanships and Leadership posts, as Appropriations Chairman in the [[110th Congress]], Byrd finally required Democrat staff on his committee to provide him with a detailed disclosure of any direct or indirect [[conflict of interest]] they may have as a result of actions taken by the panel.<ref>[http://www.rollcall.com/issues/52_147/news/19169-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS Byrd Issues Tougher Staff Conflict Rules], By John Stanton, ''Roll Call'', June 27, 2007.</ref>

===Filibuster of the Civil Rights Act of 1964===

===1964 Civil Rights Act filibuster===

Byrd joined with other [[Southern United States|Southern]] and border state Democrats to [[filibuster]] the [[Civil Rights Act of 1964]], personally filibustering the bill for 14 hours — a move he later said he regretted.<ref>[http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/0228-07.htm Byrd Says He Regrets Voting For Patriot Act], Associate Press, 2006-02-28.</ref> Despite an 83-day [[filibuster]] in the Senate, both parties in Congress voted overwhelmingly in favor of the Act, and President Johnson signed the bill into law.<ref>[https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/minute/Civil_Rights_Filibuster_Ended.htm  U.S. Senate, June 10, 1964: Civil Rights Filibuster Ended]</ref> He also opposed the [[Voting Rights Act of 1965]], but voted for the [[Civil Rights Act of 1968]]. In 2005, Byrd told the ''Washington Post'' that his membership in the [[Baptist]] church led to a change in his views. In the opinion of one reviewer, Byrd, along with other Southern and border state Democrats, came to realize that he would have to temper "his blatantly [[racial segregation|segregationist]] views" and move to the Democrat Party mainstream if he wanted to play a role nationally.

Byrd joined with other [[Southern United States|Southern]] and border state Democrats to [[filibuster]] the [[Civil Rights Act of 1964]], personally filibustering the bill for 14 hours — a move he later said he regretted.<ref>[http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/0228-07.htm Byrd Says He Regrets Voting For Patriot Act], Associate Press, 2006-02-28.</ref> Despite an 83-day [[filibuster]] in the Senate, both parties in Congress voted overwhelmingly in favor of the Act, and President Johnson signed the bill into law.<ref>[https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/minute/Civil_Rights_Filibuster_Ended.htm  U.S. Senate, June 10, 1964: Civil Rights Filibuster Ended]</ref> He also opposed the [[Voting Rights Act of 1965]], but voted for the [[Civil Rights Act of 1968]]. In 2005, Byrd told the ''Washington Post'' that his membership in the [[Baptist]] church led to a change in his views. In the opinion of one reviewer, Byrd, along with other Southern and border state Democrats, came to realize that he would have to temper "his blatantly [[racial segregation|segregationist]] views" and move to the Democrat Party mainstream if he wanted to play a role nationally.