 President of the United States and the Vice President. I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same, that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservations or purpose of evasion, and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I'm about to enter. Mr. Vice President, and now, Mr. Secretary and Mrs. Cavazos, members of the Congress, are here, and ladies and gentlemen, and thank all of you, as I'm sure you know we're here today to celebrate a bit of good news for the nation. They're swearing in that it has just taken place of Dr. Loro F. Cavazos as our country's fourth Secretary of Education, and I'm honored to add as the first Hispanic Cabinet Mem Officer in American history. I know all of you join me in extending, and you've shown that, to Dr. and Mrs. Cavazos and to their family and friends, a proud welcome to the White House. Of course, September is the month when American education goes back to work, so now seems a perfect time to introduce a new Secretary of Education. Just two weeks ago, many American students, teachers, and administrators returned to their classrooms and offices in pursuit of knowledge and its matchless rewards. We sometimes take this for granted, but theirs is a high calling, a grand enterprise of individual effort and collective national purpose. And I'm pleased to say they could not have a finer colleague, advocate, and spokesman than Larry Cavazos, whose own life and career pay eloquent tribute to the ennobling possibilities of good education. The son of a foreman at the legendary King Ranch in South Texas, Larry Cavazos went on to earn master's and doctoral degrees in zoology and physiology to teach anatomy and biology as a professor at the Medical College of Virginia at Tufts University and at Texas Tech University. And to serve first as anatomy department chairman and then as dean of the Tufts University School of Medicine. For the past eight years, Dr. Cavazos has been president of Texas Tech University, winning for that great institution and for himself a well-deserved national reputation for educational leadership and innovation. Lastly, and maybe most important, I might also point out that he and his wife Peggy have raised 10 children. Now that's what I call real homework. But with his scholarship and his work in academic administration, through his membership in innumerable national, inter-American, and international organizations, and by his participation in the movement for school reform where it counts at the grassroots, Larry Cavazos has already made a major contribution to American education. And he brings us to his new post, a record of solid accomplishment that promises even bigger contributions in the future. But along with high distinction, Dr. Cavazos brings something else to the cabinet and to the Department of Education. Something even more important to our schools and to our students. Something I've made a cornerstone of this administration's policy since day one. And that something is the idea of educational excellence and a passionate commitment to quality schooling for every American child. I know that Dr. Cavazos shares my pride in the substantial progress American education has made since 1981. And I'm sure too that he believes, as I do, that we can and must do better still. And I have every confidence that his work as Education Secretary will continue to lead the way, that his voice will continue to reflect the great good sense Americans have always had about our children and our schools, and that his effort will be devoted to keeping a national spotlight of attention on education. You know, I've spent some of the happiest days of my life, and at my age that's saying a lot. Visiting American classrooms, meeting American teachers and students, and watching them work and learn. Larry Cavazos will do the same. Larry is to be sure a sterling example of the magnificent contributions Hispanic Americans have made to our national life. But I know his service in the Cabinet will speak to all Americans, from every background in every circumstance, of the real hope and opportunity that good education always provides. With Secretary Cavazos, and that sounds good, doesn't it? American education will be in sure and loving hands. Larry and Peggy, congratulations, and welcome aboard. It's a proud moment for you and me. Thank you very much. Thank you. Mr. President, Mr. Vice President, members of the Congress, ladies and gentlemen, what a tremendous privilege it is for me to be here today. Mr. President, I do so appreciate your confidence and trust in selecting me for this position as Secretary of Education. You've brought great leadership to our nation, and your commitment to education has truly helped this country make significant gains and strides in the battle to always educate every person. I so much appreciate the warm, the unanimous support of Labor and Human Resources Committee and the confidence of the Senate. I'm grateful for their expeditious handling of my nomination. And I wish to express thanks to the many people that guided us and assisted us through the confirmation process. There were very many of them, and we deeply appreciate what you did. My sincere thanks and love to my wife Peggy and to our 10 children and their spouses. One of our grandsons is here, the other two couldn't make it there, only two and three years old, and all of our family. Most of them are here with us today. This journey in education started in 1949 when I was a teaching assistant. Over the years, the support and confidence and love of my family has sustained me and has helped me. And I would not be here today, I'm convinced that if it were not for them and the support that they have given me, and on top of that many, many others who are here in this room with us today, who have contributed to my education, who have supported me in difficult times and who have encouraged me. There are many of you in this room and I'd like to thank each one of you personally. And lastly, the work ahead for us is truly enormous. We must awaken America to renew its commitment to education. We must all work together, all of us work together. We must care for every person, the highly motivated, achieving child, the undereducated, the dropout, the illiterate, and the handicapped. All persons, majority and minority, must reach their fullest level potential of education so that they will become in turn responsible citizens and in this manner they will contribute to the greatness of America. Mr. President, I look forward to working with you in the days ahead and what I consider perhaps the most important mission of this nation, its effort in education. Thank you for your confidence, sir.