But, Ruth and Director Grossman and friends, it's a great pleasure to have you all here, and a special pleasure to have our President with us this afternoon to swear in this 100^th class. I had the privilege of seeing these fine, young people just a few weeks ago at the Foreign Service Institute as they were completing their training.

And, Mr. President, I have also had the privilege of looking through their various bios, and it is a cross-section of America at its very, very best. And they are going to do such a marvelous job in going off to serve this nation in so many far-flung posts, posts that, in many cases, will be hardship posts. And they will be working their way up the ladder, and I know the day will come when we will greet them all back here at some point as Career Ministers and Career Ambassadors of the Foreign Service. That is my hope, my wish, and expectation.

They are joined here today, Mr. President, by the people who love them and people who cared for them and people who helped them get to this point in their lives, the members of their families. And so I would like the class to rise and applaud your family members for what they have done for you. (Applause.)

And now I would like to get them ready -- not yet. (Laughter.) The oath of office that they will take in a moment or so is the same oath that I took in front of President Bush a few weeks ago, and the same oath that our first Secretary of State, Thomas Jefferson, took two centuries ago.

"To bear true faith and allegiance to the same," you will hear within that oath. The allegiance that you are going to be bearing true faith and allegiance to, the oath you'll be bearing true faith and allegiance to, is to a written document, the Constitution, that carries the collective will and desires and aspirations of the American people, and has done so for so many hundreds of years. Our founders believed that government derives its right from the governed, and not the other way around. And it has made all the difference in the world. The world hasn't changed much since then, and you are going to be swearing your allegiance to that same oath.

And, ladies and gentlemen, if you are now ready to receive that oath, I would ask you to stand and raise your right hands.

"I," state your name.

CLASS 100: "I, _______"

SECRETARY POWELL: "do solemnly swear"

CLASS 100: "do solemnly swear"

SECRETARY POWELL: "that I will support and defend"

CLASS 100: "that I will support and defend"

SECRETARY POWELL: "the Constitution of the United States"

CLASS 100: "the Constitution of the United States"

SECRETARY POWELL: "against all enemies, foreign and domestic"

CLASS 100: "against all enemies, foreign and domestic."

SECRETARY POWELL: "That I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same."

CLASS 100: "That I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same."

SECRETARY POWELL: "That I take this obligation freely"

CLASS 100: "That I take this obligation freely"

SECRETARY POWELL: "and without any mental reservation"

CLASS 100: "and without any mental reservation"

SECRETARY POWELL: "or purpose of evasion."

CLASS 100: "or purpose of evasion."

SECRETARY POWELL: "That I will well and faithfully"

CLASS 100: "That I will well and faithfully"

SECRETARY POWELL: "discharge the duties of the office"

CLASS 100: "discharge the duties of the office"

SECRETARY POWELL: "on which I am about to enter."

CLASS 100: "on which I am about to enter."

SECRETARY POWELL: "So help me, God."

CLASS 100: "So help me, God."

SECRETARY POWELL: Congratulations, Class 100. (Applause.)

And now, to the new graduates and to your families, it is my very, very great pleasure to present the President of the United States, George W. Bush. (Applause.)

[As released by the Office of the Spokesman, February 15, 2001]