[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 89 (Wednesday, May 22, 2024)]
[House]
[Page H3405]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 HONORING HEMET POLICE CHIEF EDDIE PUST

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Ruiz) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. RUIZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and congratulate Hemet 
Police Chief Eddie Pust on his retirement after serving the city of 
Hemet for over 27 years.
  Police officers spend their lives putting service before self, 
striving to make a positive change in their community, and Chief Pust 
embodies that through and through.
  Chief Pust began his career with the city of Hemet Police Department 
in 1996. After the police academy, he started as a patrol officer. 
During his career, he worked a number of assignments including 16 years 
in SWAT, until eventually being appointed as the 18th police chief of 
Hemet Police Department.
  In addition to his 4-year tenure as police chief, he also served for 
10 months as the city of Hemet interim city manager.
  After almost 30 years as a pillar of leadership in the Hemet 
community, Chief Pust has displayed accountability, strength, and 
compassion during his service.
  In every rank and position Chief Pust held, he was incredibly 
committed to tackling the issues that improved the safety and quality 
of life for the residents he served.
  On behalf of the people in Hemet, Jacinto Valley, and the entire 
district, we appreciate every moment Chief Pust dedicated to protecting 
and serving us. His service to the community is nothing short of 
exemplary.
  I thank Chief Pust for tirelessly working to keep the people of Hemet 
safe for the past 27 years.


                      Recognizing Richard Ramirez

  Mr. RUIZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life and legacy 
of Mr. Richard Moreno Ramirez, a pillar of the Coachella Valley and 
exceptional athlete.
  Mr. Ramirez was an accomplished athlete, coach, athletic director, 
educator, loving husband, father, grandfather, and so much more.
  Known as Mr. Green and Gold, the colors of his beloved Coachella 
Valley High School, Mr. Ramirez was a man of and for the community.
  He was a beloved mentor for many and a leader in the community. He 
was my activities director and athletics director while I was a student 
athlete and ASB president at Coachella Valley High School.
  His whole life he worked to foster a sense of school spirit and 
community pride that empowered students to create the change they 
wished to see in the world.
  I learned three key lessons from Mr. Ramirez that I will always carry 
with me: first, your roots matter; second, school and community pride 
are important; and third, to always serve the community.
  Mr. Ramirez was born on October 16, 1941, on a ranch in Thermal, 
California, to parents Ramon and Dolores Ramirez. Raised in the eastern 
Coachella Valley, he attended Coachella Valley High School where his 
love for sports took root playing for their baseball and football teams 
where he excelled at sports, winning three baseball and two football 
championships.
  After graduation, he attended Riverside City College and then went on 
to California State University-Long Beach where he achieved great 
success in both academics and baseball, so much so he brought home the 
university's first baseball title in 1964 and was recently inducted 
into their Sports Hall of Fame.
  After college, wanting to give back to his community, he rolled up 
his sleeves and got to work. He returned home to serve the community 
that raised him at Coachella Valley High School for the next 40 years.
  While athletic director at CV High School, he always instilled a 
sense of school spirit and community pride in all students. Even 
throughout his retirement, Mr. Ramirez always put service above self, 
and he served on the boards of many nonprofit organizations. He was 
also dedicated to cultivating the next generation of leaders through 
the CV High School Alumni Association where he raised funds to provide 
scholarships for local students.
  Each athlete, student, teacher, neighbor, and friend will undoubtedly 
recall Mr. Ramirez as a pillar of the community.
  Together, as we mourn his passing with his wife, Dr. Diane Ramirez; 
his children, Ronan and Roderic Ramirez; grandchildren, Rossen and 
Sofia; and all his friends and loved ones, we honor his legacy as a man 
who returned home to his roots and gave his all to serve his community 
and others.

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