Latest News from State Capitol and 55th District

November 25, 2025

Rep. Jill Cooper (R-Westmoreland)
Illegal REAL ID Issuance Sparks Major Concern
For months now, people in our community have been frustrated by the process of trying to get themselves a REAL ID. Whether it be staffing concerns at the PennDOT centers, prohibitive wait times, inconsistencies with documentation, or other issues, plenty of Pennsylvanians still haven’t been able to get their hands on one.

That is just one small part of the reason I am so troubled by the recent news that 31-year-old Akhror Bozorov, an Uzbeki national illegal immigrant with alleged ties to terrorism, obtained a Pennsylvania Commercial Driver’s License with a REAL ID indication.

It’s beyond frightening to think of what damage Mr. Bozorov could have caused while operating an 80,000-pound vehicle and what he could have been transporting. Safeguarding against terrorists was the primary goal of implementing REAL ID, and clearly, officials missed something in this case.

The incident raises serious questions about public safety, especially since REAL IDs allow people to gain access to air travel, military installations and other federal buildings.

My office is often contacted by constituents who were denied a REAL ID because their decades-old marriage license or birth certificate didn’t meet regulations. Imagine the anger of those having to spend countless hours securing government documents about a birth or marriage that occurred 50 or more years ago, only to learn an individual wanted in his home country since 2022 for terrorist activity is granted such an ID. This individual could have voted, boarded domestic flights and even potentially entered a military base with ease, while well meaning, hardworking Pennsylvanians cannot.

To make matters worse, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has proposed a rule that would charge travelers who lack a REAL ID an $18 fee at security checkpoints, according to a notice published in the Federal Register. Again, many native Pennsylvanians would be paying this fee. However, Mr. Bozorov would not.

While I am glad to hear federal authorities took Mr. Bozorov into custody, there’s more that needs to be done. The leaders of the Pennsylvania House Republican Caucus sent a letter to Attorney General Dave Sunday and Auditor General Tim DeFoor demanding an investigation to find out how this happened and prevent reoccurrence. I completely support these calls for answers. We need to get to the bottom of this to ensure Pennsylvanians are safe and our elections remain secure.

Here are some additional news topics and reminders I would like to share.

Support for Family Caregivers – November is National Family Caregivers Month, a time to recognize the nearly one quarter (23%) of adults in Pennsylvania who are providing largely unpaid and unsupported care to older parents, spouses and other loved ones.

According to AARP, family caregivers provide $22 billion in unpaid care each year in the Commonwealth, helping family members live independently at home and in their communities. Caregiving duties may range from bathing and dressing to grocery shopping, meal prep, managing medications, arranging transportation and more.

Both new and experienced caregivers can find help and support through the PA CareKit, unveiled earlier this year by the Pennsylvania Department of Aging. It is available at pa.gov/agencies/aging/pa-carekit.

Shop Small This Season – Saturday, Nov. 29, marked Small Business Saturday. Coming on the heels of the post-Thanksgiving Black Friday shopping tradition, Small Business Saturday is the day we get to put our money where our heart already is.

Here’s the reality: America runs on small businesses. There are almost 35 million of them – 99.9% of all companies in the country – and together they employ nearly 60 million people (that’s almost half the private workforce). They create two out of every three new jobs and pump trillions of dollars into the economy every year. When a small shop or café does well, the ripple effect is huge: Local jobs stay secure, tax dollars fix our roads and schools, and the town keeps the personality that makes you proud to say you’re from here.

Small Business Saturday is past, but if you’re like me, you still have plenty of holiday shopping to do! So grab your reusable bag and go spend a little (or a lot) on Main Street. Every dollar you drop at an independent store keeps roughly 67 cents circulating right here – double or triple what stays local when you shop big chains or online giants. That’s real money that pays the barista’s rent, buys new uniforms for the kids’ soccer team and keeps the “open” sign glowing for another year. Shopping small isn’t just nice; it’s one of the most powerful things you can do for the place you call home. Your favorite stores are counting on us. Let’s show up.

Representative Jill Cooper
55th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Jordan Frei
724.875.8450
jfrei@pahousegop.com
RepJillCooper.com / Facebook.com/RepJillCooper