The Conservative Caucus
Documents
of Freedom Collection
OATHS
OF OFFICE
Our public servants swear to protect and defend the
Constitution. Our job as citizens is to know the Constitution and to hold them
to their solemn oaths.
Oath of Office for the President:
Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution. Before he enter on the Execution of his Office, he shall take the following Oath or Affirmation:--"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."
Oath of Office for the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives:
Article VI of the Constitution specifies that members of Congress shall be bound by an oath to support the Constitution: The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States. (History of the Oath)
The text of the Constitutional Oath is not written in the Constitution, but the current oath was enacted by Congress in 1862. "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God."
Oath for Access to Classified Information (House only)
Before a Member, Delegate, Resident Commissioner, officer, or employee of the House may have access to classified information, the following oath (or affirmation) shall be executed:
"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will not disclose any classified information received in the course of my service with the House of Representatives, except as authorized by the House of Representatives or in accordance with its Rules."
Source: Clause 13, Rule XXIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives: the Code of Official Conduct.
The Judicial Oath, for all Federal Judges and Justices:
"I, _______, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.”
In addition, each justice or judge of the United States shall take the following oath or affirmation before performing the duties of his office. Section 8 of the Judiciary Act of 1789, as amended in 1990: "I, __________, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will administer justice without respect to persons, and do equal right to the poor and to the rich, and that I will faithfully and impartially discharge and perform all the duties incumbent upon me as (name of position) under the Constitution and laws of the United States. So help me God.”
Oath of Office for all Federal Employees:
An individual, except the President, elected or
appointed to an office of honor or profit in the civil service or uniformed
services, shall take the following oath. Title 5, Part III,
Subpart B, Chapter 33, Subchapter II, § 3331:
"I, _______, do solemnly swear
(or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United
States against all enemies, foreign and domestic;
that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or
purpose of evasion; and that I
will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am
about to enter. So help me God.”
Oaths for the Armed Services:
The United States Military Oath of Allegiance is taken by members of the United States Armed Services on commissioning. It differs slightly from that of the oath of enlistment that enlisted members recite when they enter the service.
I, ____________, do solemnly swear, or affirm, that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.
The Oath of Enlistment into the United States Armed Forces is performed upon any person enlisting or re-enlisting for a term of service into any branch of the military.
"I, _____________, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States, the governor of the state of _______ (for National Guard enlistees) and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God." Title 10, US Code; Act of 5 May 1960 replacing the wording first adopted in 1789, with amendment effective 5 October 1962.
Oath of Citizenship/Oath of Allegiance:
Taken by all new U.S. citizens. "I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God. In acknowledgement whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature."
State and local governments will have similar oaths of office for their employees, office holders and law officers.
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