Thank you very much. Thank you. It's a great pleasure to welcome the President, with us today on National Security Week. On Monday, he visited with the troops of Fort Stewart, Georgia. On Tuesday, he visited with the troops in Norfolk. On Wednesday, he visited with the reserve and National Guard troops in West Virginia. And here on Thursday, he is with the troops of the State Department of the United States of America. (Applause.)
Mr. President, these dedicated men and women you see before you of our Foreign Service and our Civil Service and so many who are watching by television around the world, and also joining will be Foreign Service Nationals, who are in the front lines of America's efforts throughout the world to bring peace and freedom and the free enterprise system to the world. And they are serving in so many ways and so many different places, and they make Americans proud. They make the nation proud of what they do.
Earlier today, I gave an award to Ambassador Jock Covey just back from a difficult assignment in Kosovo. And as I read the citation and heard about the bombing he was almost caught in, thought about his separation from his family, thought about all of the sacrifices he made after being asked to come out of retirement for this mission, it once again touched me deeply about the kind of sacrifice that these people make for us every day of the year.
And I want to thank you, sir, for giving me the opportunity to lead them; but, moreover and more importantly, thank you for the support that you're going to give to them, the inspiration you're going to give to them, the vision that you are giving to them and the world.
And, Mr. President, it is now my great pleasure to present to you the wonderful men and women of the State Department. The President of the United States, George W. Bush. (Applause.)
[As released by the Office of the Spokesman, February 15, 2001]