Single, Unique Zip Codes for Certain Communities

Floor Speech

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Ms. BOEBERT. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 8753) to direct the United States Postal Service to designate single, unique ZIP Codes for certain communities, and for other purposes, as amended.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 8753

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SINGLE, UNIQUE ZIP CODES FOR CERTAIN COMMUNITIES.

Not later than 270 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the United States Postal Service shall designate a single, unique ZIP Code for each of the following communities:

(1) Eastvale, California.

(2) North Tustin, California.

(3) Castle Pines, Colorado.

(4) Centennial, Colorado.

(5) Cherry Hills, Colorado.

(6) Greenwood Village, Colorado.

(7) Highlands Ranch, Colorado.

(8) Lone Tree, Colorado.

(9) Severance, Colorado

(10) Silver Cliff, Colorado.

(11) Sterling Ranch, Colorado.

(12) Superior, Colorado.

(13) Scotland, Connecticut.

(14) Estero, Florida.

(15) Ft. Myers, Florida.

(16) Hollywood, Florida.

(17) Miami Lakes, Florida.

(18) Ocoee, Florida.

(19) Oakland Park, Florida.

(20) Lighthouse Point, Florida.

(21) Coconut Creek, Florida.

(22) Parkland, Florida.

(23) Deerfield Beach, Florida.

(24) Wilton Manors, Florida.

(25) Burr Ridge, Illinois.

(26) Urbandale, Iowa.

(27) Carmel, Indiana.

(28) Noblesville, Indiana.

(29) Westfield, Indiana.

(30) Zionsville, Indiana.

(31) Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

(32) Montz, Louisiana.

(33) Grass Valley, Nevada.

(34) Swanzey, New Hampshire.

(35) Kinnelon, New Jersey.

(36) Flanders, New York.

(37) Glendale, New York.

(38) Riverside, New York.

(39) Pendelton, New York

(40) Northampton, New York.

(41) Goose Creek, South Carolina.

(42) Fairview, Texas.

(43) Murphy, Texas.

(44) Sargent, Texas.

(45) Fairlawn, Virginia.

(46) Caledonia, Wisconsin.

(47) Franklin, Wisconsin.

(48) Greenfield, Wisconsin

(49) Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin.

(50) Somers, Wisconsin.

(51) Mills, Wyoming.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of my bill, H.R. 8753, to direct the United States Postal Service to designate single, unique ZIP Codes within their system for certain communities throughout the country.

While all the communities in this bill typically utilize some sort of ZIP Code already, the ones we are discussing today do not have a ZIP Code that is unique to their city or town in the Postal Service system, and this does have some very serious consequences.

Communities that do not have a unique ZIP Code within the Postal Service system often experience associated problems that include loss of economic development, loss of sales tax, unjustifiably high insurance rates, tax remittance and commercial licensing issues, diminished public safety and reduced emergency response times, identity issues, and efficiency issues.

For example, first responders often go to the wrong streets of people needing help. They are experiencing delays due to these ZIP Code issues that would be addressed by my legislation.

It is estimated that the city of Lone Tree, in my new district in Colorado, is losing about $5 million in sales tax revenue each year because of this ZIP Code issue.

H.R. 8753 requires the Postal Service to formally establish unique ZIP Codes for these communities across the Nation within their system. This bill is a product of various House Members' advocacy for their districts and requires the Postal Service to formally recognize 51 communities within their system.

As a sponsor of this bill, I am proud that this bill would help communities in my home State of Colorado, including the communities of Silver Cliff, which really got me passionate about this issue to begin with, Lone Tree, Castle Pines, Centennial, Severance, Greenwood Village, Superior, and Sterling Ranch.

The current process allows small towns and cities to petition the Postal Service for a unique ZIP Code, but it is rarely approved. If it is denied, they cannot appeal this decision for up to 10 years.

Congress has intervened on these matters in the past and passed laws enacting four unique ZIP Codes through the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act of 2006, so there is a precedent for this type of legislation.

My bipartisan bill has support from communities and Members throughout our great country. While this may seem like a niche issue to some, it is very and extremely important to these cities and towns that asked for this bill to be put forward on their behalf.

Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of this bipartisan bill to support small cities and towns throughout America, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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Ms. BOEBERT. Mr. Speaker, we have many colleagues who are excited about this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I associate my remarks with the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Graves). This is a very frustrating thing that we have to be in Congress debating and issuing legislation on.

I am so proud to be here and have a part in that, but this is something that should have been done. Many of these cities, many of these communities have requested the United States Postal Service to give them a unique ZIP Code, and they have been denied.

This started for me with the town of Silver Cliff in Colorado. It is one of the most beautiful towns right next to Westcliffe, Colorado in Custer County. In my first term, I represented Custer County before redistricting. They were taken away from me, but this was one of the very first issues that I learned of as their Representative.

It was not the first time this issue was brought to a Member of Congress. Two Members of Congress prior to me had heard about this issue, had legislation on this issue, and the legislation did not go forward.

In the Oversight Committee, we do have jurisdiction over the United States Postal Service, and I am so grateful for Chairman Comer and Ranking Member Jamie Raskin, who have worked so diligently alongside of me to get this legislation through committee with complete and full support of every Member, and now I am looking forward to this bipartisan legislation passing the House, going to the Senate, and hopefully being signed into law.

I thank Senator Bennet for also being passionate about the cities who need unique ZIP Codes in Colorado, but hopefully we don't need legislation in the future to designate these ZIP Codes, to get the people what they deserve. Hopefully, this sets a precedent for the United States Postal Service to approve these communities' requests, and it won't take an act of Congress to do the right thing.

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Ms. BOEBERT. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Wyoming (Ms. Hageman).

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Ms. BOEBERT. Madam Speaker, I thank everyone, once again, all of the cosponsors, all of my colleagues who have supported this legislation, Ranking Member Raskin, and Chairman Comer.

This has been an amazing effort that we have come together to designate these unique ZIP Codes to recognize these cities.

I want the people to understand we know there are more cities and towns throughout each and every State that are facing this issue and, hopefully, the United States Postal Service will do the right thing in the future once they see what we can do by passing a bill like H.R. 8753 and providing these cities and towns with the identity that they deserve.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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