Rep. Nick LaLota (R-Suffolk County), released the following statement after voting to pass H.R. 8753, a bipartisan bill that would give unique Zip Codes for the communities of Riverside, Northampton, and Flanders in Suffolk County. LaLota was an original cosponsor of the bill.
“The passage of today’s bill moves the communities of Riverside, Northampton, and Flanders closer to achieving long-overdue fairness,” said LaLota. “For far too long, residents of these communities have faced unnecessary hardships due to the absence of unique ZIP Codes—resulting in misdelivered mail, delayed medications, and lost packages. This simple yet impactful change will greatly enhance postal reliability and everyday convenience. I remain steadfast in my commitment to ensuring every Long Islander receives the resources, services, and recognition they deserve.”
To read the full text of the bill, click HERE.
Background:
The communities of Riverside, Northampton, and Flanders are among 46 across the country that would benefit from the bill. These communities have been fighting for this simple fix for over a decade.
The ZIP Code system, introduced in the 1960s, was designed by the United States Postal Service (USPS) to deliver mail efficiently and accurately as they adapted to the growing volume of mail from an increasing population. Since ZIP Codes were assigned based on the operational needs of the USPS rather than municipal or geographic boundaries, significant problems have arisen.
Communities lacking unique ZIP Codes often deal with misdelivered mail and major delivery delays, which can result in people receiving critical medications and other important items later than anticipated.
While small towns and cities can petition the Postal Service for a new ZIP Code, approvals are rare, and if denied, they cannot appeal the decision for up to 10 years. Congress has intervened in such cases, most notably enacting four new ZIP Codes through the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act of 2006.