As a freshman Senator, Byrd was guided and counseled by Texas Senator Lyndon B. Johnson and, after Johnson's election to the Vice-Presidency in 1960, by Senator Richard B. Russell of Georgia. Although he had supported past civil rights measures, he joined Russell and other Southern Democrats in a filibuster against the bill that became the Civil Rights act of 1964. Men and races of men differ in appearance, ways, physical power, mental capacity, creativity, and vision. He disapproved of the voting rights bill of 1965 for similar reasons and often spoke out against such antipoverty legislation as rent supplements. Wherever some people go the slums will follow.
People first have to clean up inside themselves.
During his first decade in the senate, Byrd generally voted with the other members of his party in support of the New Frontier and Great Society programs of Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson. Domestically, he was particularly concerned about the quality of education in the United States. A firm believer in continuing education, Byrd supported additional funding for vocational training, career counseling, adult education, community colleges, and cooperative education programs. He was also a leader in the fight for realistic social security benefits and sponsored legislation strengthening the administration and financing of the plan. By the end of the 1960's Byrd's views were conservative enough for him to rate a place on President Richard M. Nixon's list of possible Supreme Court nominees.