November 18, 2025
Mr. Lankford (for himself and Ms. Ernst) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
September 14, 2026
Reported by Mr. Paul, with an amendment
Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic
To establish a pilot program for ZIP Code boundary changes, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Community Involvement in Zone Improvement Plans Act of 2025
or the CIPZIP Act of 2025
.
Sec. 2. Pilot postal service program for ZIP code boundary changes
(a) In general
Notwithstanding any other provision of title 39, United States Code, the United States Postal Service (referred to in this section as the Postal Service
) shall establish a pilot program through which the Postal Service may consider entering into an agreement with an agency of a State government, local government, or Tribal government to receive money, property, or services to defray part or all of the net costs, if any, in conjunction with a request for a ZIP code boundary change or realignment.
(b) Denial of ZIP code boundary change or realignment requests
(1) In general
If the Postal Service denies a request from a State government, local government, or Tribal government for a ZIP code boundary change or realignment on the basis of a net cost to the Postal Service, the Postal Service shall—
(A)
notify the requestor in writing of the existence of the program established under subsection (a);
(B)
provide the requestor with an estimate of the net cost to the Postal Service of the implementation of the request;
(C)
allow not less than 30 days for the requestor to propose an agreement meeting the requirements of the pilot program established under subsection (a); and
(D)
give due consideration to a proposed agreement under subparagraph (C).
(2) Cost as only dispositive factor for a denial
If a net cost to the Postal Service is the only dispositive factor in a denial of a request under paragraph (1), and the requestor is able to defray that cost under an agreement described in subsection (a), the Postal Service shall accept the agreement and grant the request.
(c) Reports
(1) Annual reports
Not later than 360 days after the date of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Postal Regulatory Commission shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform of the House of Representatives a report on the pilot program under subsection (a), including—
(A)
the number of requests the United States Postal Service has received for a ZIP code boundary change or realignment, including the number of requests granted and denied;
(B)
the number of agreements entered into under the pilot program established under subsection (a), and with respect to each such agreement, the total value of the costs defrayed; and
(C)
with respect to each denial of a request for a ZIP code boundary change or realignment—
(i)
whether a notification was provided pursuant to subsection (b)(1)(A); and
(ii)
the estimated net cost provided pursuant to subsection (b)(1)(B).
(2) By member request
The Postal Service shall submit to any Member of Congress, upon request, a report of the factors contributing to the denial of a request from a State government, local government, or Tribal government for a ZIP code boundary change or realignment.
(d) Sunset
The pilot program established under this section shall terminate on the date that is 7 years after the date of enactment of this Act.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Community Involvement and Partnership in Zone Improvement Plans Act of 2025
or the CIPZIP Act of 2025
.
Sec. 2. Establish a community-proposed ZIP code modification process
(a) Definitions
In this section:
(1) Financial costs
The term financial costs means the direct and indirect costs imposed on the Postal Service attributable to implementing a ZIP code modification through reliably identified causal relationships.
(2) Local government
The term local government has the meaning given that term in section 3702 of title 39, United States Code.
(3) Postal Service
The term Postal Service means the United States Postal Service.
(4) ZIP code
The term ZIP code means the multi-digit nationwide standardized mail code used to identify delivery areas for postal operations that the Postal Service has developed and maintained under the Zone Improvement Plan.
(b) ZIP code modification requests
(1) In general
Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Postal Service shall establish and make public an administrative process for considering State, local, and Tribal government requests to modify a ZIP code for an area subject to their jurisdiction by—
(A)
amending or altering existing ZIP code boundaries; or
(B)
establishing new ZIP codes.
(2) Process
(A) Criteria
The administrative process established under paragraph (1) shall include criteria for the consideration of each request to modify a ZIP code that must include—
(i)
the feasibility and impact of the requested ZIP code modification on the operations and network, including mail service;
(ii)
financial costs to the Postal Service; and
(iii)
an assessment of the foreseeable need for future changes to mailing addresses.
(B) Decisions
The administrative process established under paragraph (1) shall—
(i)
permit the Postal Service to consider any ZIP code modification and to implement the appropriate modification to a ZIP code; and
(ii)
ensure that a State, local, or Tribal government submitting a request to modify a ZIP code is provided with a written rationale as part of any denial of the request, including whether financial costs to the Postal Service was a factor and, if so, the estimated cost to the Postal Service.
(C) Designated public contact
The administrative process established under paragraph (1) shall require the Postal Service to designate a specific individual who shall act as the point of contact for a State, local, or Tribal government submitting a request to modify a ZIP code.
(D) Resubmission
The administrative process established under paragraph (1) shall—
(i)
prohibit a State, local, or Tribal government from submitting an identical or substantially similar request to modify a ZIP code for a period of 5 years from the date that a denial of the original request is communicated to the State, local, or Tribal government;
(ii)
not limit the ability of a State, local, or Tribal government to submit an alternative request to modify a ZIP code after a denial of the original request; and
(iii)
permit any State, local, or Tribal government that was denied a requested ZIP code modification during the 10-year period immediately preceding the date of enactment of this Act to resubmit such request, regardless of whether the request is substantially the same as the denied original request.
(E) Appeals
Should a request to modify a ZIP code be denied, the administrative process under paragraph (1) shall—
(i)
include procedures for an appeals process for the State, local, or Tribal government submitting the request;
(ii)
require any appeal to be submitted on or before the date that is 45 days after the issuance of the denial of the request; and
(iii)
only allow 1 appeal per request.
Sec. 3. Pilot postal service program for ZIP code boundary changes
(a) In general
Notwithstanding any provision of title 39, United States Code, the United States Postal Service (referred to in this section as the Postal Service
) shall establish a pilot program through which the Postal Service may consider entering into an agreement with an agency of a State government, local government, or Tribal government to receive money, property, or services to defray part or all of the net costs, if any, in conjunction with a request for a ZIP code boundary change or realignment.
(b) Denial of ZIP code boundary change or realignment requests
(1) In general
If the Postal Service denies a request from a State government, local government, or Tribal government for a ZIP code boundary change or realignment on the basis of a net cost to the Postal Service, the Postal Service shall—
(A)
notify the requestor in writing of the existence of the program established under subsection (a);
(B)
provide the requestor with an estimate of the net cost to the Postal Service of the implementation of the request;
(C)
allow not less than 30 days for the requestor to propose an agreement meeting the requirements of the pilot program established under subsection (a); and
(D)
give due consideration to a proposed agreement under subparagraph (C).
(2) Cost as only dispositive factor for a denial
If a net cost to the Postal Service is the only dispositive factor in a denial of a request under paragraph (1), and the requestor is able to defray that cost under an agreement described in subsection (a), the Postal Service shall accept the agreement and grant the request.
(c) Reports
(1) Annual reports
Not later than 360 days after the date of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Postal Regulatory Commission shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform of the House of Representatives a report on the pilot program under subsection (a), including—
(A)
the number of requests the Postal Service has received for a ZIP code boundary change or realignment, including the number of requests granted and denied;
(B)
the number of agreements entered into under the pilot program established under subsection (a), and with respect to each such agreement, the total value of the costs defrayed; and
(C)
with respect to each denial of a request for a ZIP code boundary change or realignment—
(i)
whether a notification was provided pursuant to subsection (b)(1)(A); and
(ii)
the estimated net cost provided pursuant to subsection (b)(1)(B).
(2) By member request
The Postal Service shall submit to any Member of Congress, upon request, a report of the factors contributing to the denial of a request from a State government, local government, or Tribal government for a ZIP code boundary change or realignment.
(d) Sunset
The pilot program established under this section shall terminate on the date that is 7 years after the date of enactment of this Act.
Sec. 4. Rules of construction
Except that the United States Postal Service shall establish and maintain an administrative process for requests to modify a ZIP code under section 2 and establish a pilot program for entering into certain agreements under section 3, nothing in this Act shall be construed to diminish the authority of the United States Postal Service as provided by law, including to provide for the collection, handling, transportation, delivery, or disposition of mail or provide post offices, postal facilities, and equipment as it determines to be necessary.