U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Doral, announced Feb. 7 that he has introduced a bill to create a unique Zip Code for the Town of Miami Lakes.
It is Diaz-Balart’s fifth attempt since 2016 to get such a bill passed. Prior versions of the bill passed in the U.S. House of Representatives but not in the U.S. Senate, and so did not become law.
In 2016, Diaz-Balart successfully included a provision in H.R. 6303 that would have authorized the U.S. Postal Service to establish a dedicated Zip Code for Miami Lakes and several other municipalities, his office said. That bill passed in the House but was not considered by the U.S. Senate. In 2018, Diaz-Balart tried again and the bill passed in the House, but was not considered by the Senate.
Bills the congressman introduced in 2019 and 2021 were not considered in the House, his office said.
Residents cope with “countless issues” including higher insurance premiums and confusion during elections and the U.S. Census taking, Diaz-Balart said in a press release.
This legislative session, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-FL, has introduced a similar bill in the Senate.
The town shares Zip Codes with Hialeah, Hialeah Gardens, Miami Gardens and unincorporated Miami-Dade County.
This story has been updated to include context on the history of prior bills for a Miami Lakes Zip Code.