{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://zeldin.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/us-house-passes-zip-code-bill-flanders-riverside-and-northampton-0", "U.S. House passes ZIP Code bill for Flanders, Riverside and Northampton", "2016-12-01", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "NY", "Lee Zeldin", "Z000017", "zeldin.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "For years, residents in Flanders, Riverside and Northampton hamlets have had to use Riverhead\u2019s ZIP Code and have pushed for a postal code of their own.\nThis week, the United States House of Representatives sided with them.During its session Wednesday evening, The House passed H.R. 6303, a piece of legislation which includes a section directing the postal service to create a new, unique ZIP Code for the three hamlets. The entire bill \u2014 which was sponsored by Republican Jason Chaffetz of Utah \u2014 passed unanimously by a voice vote.Congressman Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley), who supported the bill, said the hamlets and Riverhead currently share the same ZIP Code, despite there being more than a dozen streets with identical names and many more with similar street names.\u201cThis causes a number of issues, including delay of mail and packages, which can hold important goods like medications,\u201d Mr. Zeldin said in a statement. \u201cShared street names can also delay the response time of emergency and medical personnel in situations where every second counts.\u201dRon Fisher, president of the Flanders Riverside Northampton Community Association, said his neighbors were \u201cecstatic\u201d about the news.\u201cThis is a huge step in the right direction,\u201d he said. The new zip code will not only clear up street name confusion but will also help officials understand demographics better, make it easier to apply for grants and funding, and determine how many kids enter the Riverhead central school district from the area.Vince Taldone, treasurer for the organization, added a new zip code would also be useful in the future. A long-discussed Riverside revitalization plan aims to create a thriving downtown scene in the area, and a new ZIP Code would help differentiate the Riverside area and neighborhoods from Riverhead\u2019s own downtown.Mr. Zeldin also praised the bill as an \u201cimportant step forward.\u201d In 2015, Mr. Zeldin had petitioned the United States Postal Service directly to create a new ZIP Code for the area, but that request was ultimately denied.Both Mr. Taldone and Mr. Fisher thanked Mr. Zeldin and his office for their efforts to research how to get a new ZIP Code approved.\u201cHis office produced the federal law for how to get the ZIP Code,\u201d Mr. Fisher said. \u201cHe went the extra mile and really understood how we could do this successfully.\u201dThe House\u2019s bill to create the zip code doesn\u2019t need a Senate sponsor to be approved. It has not yet been taken up by the Senate. But members of FRNCA are calling Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand to earn their support. Mr. Fisher said a sponsor on the bill could move the legislation along faster, possibly by the end of the year.\u201cWe feel like it would give it a little more priority to pass in the lame duck session,\u201d he said. \u201cIt really matters to us.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://zeldin.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/us-house-passes-zip-code-bill-flanders-riverside-and-northampton-0"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.3518619816750288, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}