network. we talk about the impact of harper lee's book to kill a mockingbird. we will also re-aired these programs sunday evening beginning at 6:30 eastern. radio talkshow host hugh hewitt. congressional mechanization -- commemoration and remarks by members of congress. gop presidential candidate carly fiorina. on american history tv on c-span3, tonight at 8:00 p.m. at college professor. -- a college professor. sunday evening at 6:30 a

best-selling novelist. get our complete we can schedule at c-span.org >> in his weekly address this week the president supports passage of the fair housing act. senator warren -- lamar alexander of tennessee has the republican response. president obama: hi, everybody. it's our job as citizens to make sure we keep pushing this country we love toward our most cherished ideals that all of us are created equal, and all of us deserve an equal shot. this week, my administration took new steps to bring us closer to that goal. almost 50 years ago, republicans and democrats in congress came together to pass the fair

housing act. it's a law that says landlords can't turn away tenants solely because of their race, religion, sex, national origin, or disability. and it made a difference in this country. still, the work of the fair housing act remains unfinished. just a few weeks ago, the supreme court ruled that policies segregating minorities in poor neighborhoods, even unintentionally, are against the law. the court recognized what many people know to be true from their own lives: that too often, where people live determines what opportunities they have in life. in some cities, kids living just blocks apart lead incredibly different lives. they go to different schools play in different parks, shop in different stores, and walk down different streets. and often, the quality of those schools and the safety of those parks and streets are far from equal which means those kids aren't getting an equal shot in

life. that runs against the values we hold dear as americans. in this country, of all countries, a person's zip code shouldn't decide their destiny. we don't guarantee equal outcomes, but we do strive to guarantee an equal shot at opportunity in every neighborhood, for every american. now, the fair housing act also says that this isn't the responsibility of a landlord alone local governments have a role to play, too. that's why, this week, my administration announced that we'll make it easier for communities to implement this law. we're using data on housing and neighborhood conditions to help cities identify the areas that need the most help. we're doing more to help communities meet their own goals. plus, by opening this data to everybody, everyone in a community not just elected officials can weigh in. if you want a bus stop added near your home, or more affordable housing nearby, now you'll have the data you need to make your case.

these actions won't make every community perfect. that's something we all have to strive for in our own lives. but they will help make our communities stronger and more vibrant. and they'll help keep this a country where kids from every background can grow up knowing that no matter who you are, what you look like, or where you live, you can write your own story. that's the america i love. and it's the america i'll keep fighting for. thanks, and have a great weekend. >> congress is working on wet and national news magazine calls and education law that everyone wants to fix. that law, of course, is no child left the band -- no child left behind. not only is there a consensus about the need to fix no child left behind, there is also a remarkable consensus about how to fix it.

continue the laws important measurements of academic progress of students. the responsibility for deciding what to do about improving student achievement. this change should produce fewer tests, and more appropriate ways to measure their achievement. now how did our schools get in such a fix? there is plenty of blame to go around. the problems have been created by a combination of presidential action and congressional inaction. no child left behind expired in 2007, the congress has been unable to agree about how to reauthorize it. as a result, the law's original requirements have stayed in place. this as cost almost all of

america's schools to be classified as failing under the terms of the law. president obama's education secretary offered waivers from the terms of the law. in return, the secretary told each of the 42 states currently operating under waivers exactly what steps to take and exactly how to evaluate teachers. so much new federal control of local schools has produced a backlash against common core teacher evaluation, and against tests in general. governors complain about federal overreach. infuriated teachers say the u.s. department of education has become a national human resources departments, or, they say, a national school board. no wish you has stirred as much controversy as testing.

no child left behind requires students to take 17 standardized test over the course of kindergarten through their 12th grade education. as we study the problem, the issue seemed to be the stakes attached to the tests. a third grader is required to take one tests in math and one in reading. of the accountability system about what to do about the test results has contributed to the exploding number of tests. they were given to prepare students for the high-stakes federal tests. so our proposal maintains that the tests established in 2001, the results would be reported publicly so that parents know how their children are performing, and the results are aggregated.

so parents would know how students of a particular gender, ethnicity, or demographic are doing. instead, we restore state and local responsibility. our bill also prohibits the federal government from telling states what their standards must be, or coercing states you use a certain set of standards. if you're stated that's common core or not, is entirely your states decision. expand high-quality charter schools, but it will not tell them how to do it. this bill has the support of teachers organizations, school superintendents, chief state school officers, and governors.

the bill is just one more example that congress is back to work, and dealing with important issues that secure our country from overseas terrorism, and make a stronger at home. for the last two congresses, discussions fell apart because of partisan differences. this year senator murray suggested that she and i write a bipartisan bill. this is how the senate is supposed to work. how well our children are learning is much more important than any political game. our goal is to pass both houses of congress and on the president's signature and fix the law. congress would have earned a failing grade for each of the

passing years that it could not agree. i hope this time around congress will improve its grade and improve the future for 50 million children and 100,000 public schools. in mother communicators is author nicholas carlson. then vietnam's general secretary talks about relations with the u.s. and vietnam's role in the international community. that is followed by congressional leaders marking the 50th anniversary of the vietnam war with a ceremony on capitol hill. >> c-span computed by america's cable companies 35 years ago and brought to you as a public service buyer local cable or satellite provider.