H.R. 2362 was backed by a fragile coalition of leading education organizations and religious leaders. The bill provided enough support to private schools to enlist the support of Catholic groups, but not so much as to arouse opposition from Protestant and Jewish groups and public teachers’ organizations. While Catholics supported the bill, they threatened opposition if it included a provision specifically permitting a constitutional challenge grounded in opposition to state support of religion. When the bill was debated on the House floor, Representative Howard W. Smith (D-V), an opponent of the bill, offered this hand-written amendment aimed at alienating Catholic support, but the amendment failed by a voice vote. On March 26, 1965, by a 263 to 153 roll-call vote, the House passed H.R. 2362 and sent it to the Senate.

Smith, Howard Worth, 1883-1976. "Amendment Submitted by Representative Howard Smith." Amendment Submitted by Representative Howard Smith, March 26, 1965; “1st Sess. Jan. 1965-July 1965 (5 of 11)” folder, Box 3; Office of the Clerk; 89th Congress; Records of the U.S. House of Representatives, RG 233; National Archives.. Accessed 27 March 2023. http://acsc.lib.udel.edu/items/show/45.