Chief Rudy Banuelos Post Office

Floor Speech

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Mr. PANETTA. Madam Speaker, I thank the chairwoman for her leadership.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to support H.R. 8622 that would designate the Chief Rudy Banuelos U.S. Post Office in King City, California.

I authored and support this bill because Chief Banuelos was a veteran, a postmaster, and an absolutely thick pillar of our community.

Rudolph Banuelos was born in 1927 to immigrants who came here from Mexico, who worked in agriculture, and raised their family in the Salinas Valley.

Rudy was a proud Mustang at King City High. Yet, in 1941, due to the attack on Pearl Harbor, Rudy left that high school at the age of 17, got on a motorcycle with his buddy, drove up to San Francisco, where he enlisted in the United States Coast Guard.

He served on Active Duty in World War II. He then served in the reserves reaching the rank of chief petty officer. It was then for 40 years he was a recognized recruiter in King City.

Although he was chief, he maintained that title because of his service with the United States Postal Service. Starting off as a letter carrier, he worked his way up to be named the postmaster in King City.

Chief Banuelos made sure that as postmaster, neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night prevented his postal carriers from swiftly completing their appointed rounds.

As postmaster, Chief Banuelos understood and upheld the basic function but also the difficult responsibility of the Postal Service to provide prompt, reliable, and efficient postal services in our community so that our Nation is bound together through the personal, educational, literary, and business correspondence of its people.

He was a fixture in the community where he was simply known as ``Chief.'' Chief Banuelos passed away November of 2021, but he is survived by his wife, Joanne, and their three children.

He is remembered throughout the community for his years of service to his country and the King City.

Madam Speaker, Chief is the type of person, the type of postmaster we should be honoring; local heroes who make a difference in the lives of their neighbors.

I am honored to author this bill that would give the pillar of my community the recognition he deserves.

H.R. 8622 would dedicate the same post office where he served to Chief Rudy Banuelos.

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