Remarks at the Swearing In of William D. Ruckelshaus as Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.

Mr. Chief Justice, ladies and gentlemen:

We are gathered here today for a ceremony in which we will have sworn in the first head of a new agency.

And in swearing in Mr. Ruckelshaus, I know that the Attorney General is very sorry to lose him, but the Nation is very fortunate to get him as the first administrator of this vitally important agency.

He is a fair crusader, a crusader for clean air, for clean water, and a better environment for all Americans.

He will have the support, completely, of the White House, of the President, and of this administration in his efforts to provide the programs which will bring clean air, clean water, and a better environment for all Americans.

We are very proud to have had him in the administration in a very distinguished assignment with the Justice Department over the past 2 years, and we are very proud to have him and his fine family here today to be present for this swearing-in ceremony.

I will only say this: An indication of how a man is going to handle himself in a difficult assignment is how he handles himself before the Senate when he is up for confirmation. Having seen Mr. Ruckelshaus take the best shots that could be given by the very constructive critics in the Senate who were trying to be sure that he was qualified for this job, I think we have here the best man for this new job that we could find.

It is in that spirit that I am very proud to have him sworn in as the first head of the Environmental Protection Agency.

Chief Justice Burger is here to administer the oath.

[Following the administration of the oath of office, Mr. Ruckelshaus spoke. The President then resumed speaking.]

Thank you very much.

I can only say, Mr. Director, that speaking of clean air, if you can make the air in all of our cities as clean and as beautiful as it is on this particular day in Washington, D.C., you will have accomplished your objective.