Step-by-step explanation:
The authority for Congress to pass laws like the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is derived from the United States Constitution. Specifically, it is based on the Constitution's Commerce Clause and the Fourteenth Amendment.
1. **Commerce Clause (Article I, Section 8, Clause 3):** This clause grants Congress the power to regulate commerce among the states. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was justified in part under this clause because it aimed to address discrimination that affected interstate commerce. Discriminatory practices in businesses and public accommodations were seen as interfering with the free flow of commerce across state lines.
2. **Fourteenth Amendment:** The Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1868, prohibits states from denying equal protection under the law to any person within their jurisdiction. It also empowers Congress to enforce these provisions by passing appropriate legislation. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was enacted, in part, to fulfill this constitutional mandate by addressing racial discrimination and segregation in public facilities and accommodations.
In summary, Congress derives its authority to pass laws addressing civil rights and discrimination from these constitutional provisions, which grant the federal government the power to regulate interstate commerce and protect equal rights and equal protection under the law for all citizens.