RSVP to My Veterans Appreciation Dinner, Dec. 9.

Rep. Joseph Ciresi December 5, 2025 | 1:04 PM

Dear Neighbor,

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I am reaching out to you this week to give you some updates on government programs and helpful information for older drivers.

Veterans Appreciation Dinner, Dec. 9
LIHEAP Opens Dec. 3
PTRR Deadline is Dec.31
Working Pennsylvanians Tax Credit Online Tool
TSA introduces new $45 fee option for travelers without REAL ID starting February 1
Older Driver Safety Awareness Week
State Program Funding is Available

As always, please contact my office if you need any assistance with state programs.

Saluting our Veterans

We look forward to serving a complimentary dinner to the brave men and women (and their partners) who have served our nation in the military.

Spots are still available, so there is time to RSVP! You may call our office at (484) 200-8265 or email RepCiresi@pahouse.net.

Extra parking is available across the street on Moser Road. Doors will open at 5 p.m., with meal service starting around 5:30 p.m. at the Tri-County Active Adult Center (288 Moser Road, Pottstown).

Our menu will include spiral honey ham, mashed sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, salad, baked ziti, and cake.

We're grateful to the students and staff from the Western Montgomery Career and Technology Center and Pottstown High School’s culinary programs for their help with some of the food preparation. Thank you for your contributions, and to the amazing staff at TRAAC for hosting.

On a related note, our country observes Pearl Harbor Day (1941) on Sunday.

Home Heating Help Now Open

Applications for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program opened Dec. 3. Please contact my office if you need help applying for LIHEAP or need help with utility-related issues.

Property Tax/ Rent Rebate Program Deadline is Dec. 31

The Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program helps homeowners and renters by providing rebates of $380 to $1,000 to eligible older adults and people with permanent disabilities aged 18 or older.

The deadline to apply for this program is coming up fast – Dec. 31! Please contact my office if you have questions or need help with the application.

Click here to learn whether you qualify, how much you would receive and to apply online.

NEW ONLINE TOOL for Working Pennsylvanians Tax Credit

Great news for working families here in Lancaster. I was proud to vote for and support the new Working Pennsylvanians Tax Credit program to help put money back in YOUR pocket, and now there’s an online calculator to help you find out just how much money you could get!

Check it out here: https://www.pa.gov/agencies/revenue/resources/tax-types-and-information/personal-income-tax/working-pennsylvanians-tax-credit

TSA introduces new $45 fee option for travelers without REAL ID starting February 1

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced that it will refer all passengers who do not present an acceptable form of ID and still want to fly an option to pay a $45 fee to use a modernized alternative identity verification system, TSA Confirm.ID, to establish identity at security checkpoints beginning on February 1, 2026.

Travelers will be able to pay $45 to use TSA Confirm.ID for a 10-day travel period. TSA urges travelers who do not have a REAL ID to schedule an appointment at their local DMV to update their ID as soon as possible.

More details are available here.

Older Driver Safety Awareness Week

In 2024, there were 21,986 crashes involving at least one driver aged 65 or older that resulted in 308 total fatalities. This represents 19.8% of all crashes and 27.3% of all fatalities. Older drivers generally have fewer crashes per driver than the national average – but they have more crashes per mile of driving.

Here are a list of resources for older drivers:

The Senior Shared Ride Program allows seniors to ride at a reduced fare.

Find My Ride is an online tool that allows older drivers to access free ride services online. The app allows transit agencies to process applications more efficiently, so users can access benefits more quickly. The app can be found at: findmyride.penndot.pa.gov, or at www.pa.gov/penndot by clicking on Traveling in PA, then Public Transit Options.

A list of approved mature driver courses available can be found online on PennDOT’s Mature Driver Improvement Courses page.

Signs that can indicate it may be time to limit or stop driving altogether include:

Feeling uncomfortable, fearful, or nervous when driving.
Unexplained dents/scrapes on the car, fences, mailboxes, or garage doors.
Frequently getting lost and frequent “close calls” (i.e. almost crashing).
Slower response times, particularly to unexpected situations.
Difficulty paying attention to signs or staying in the lane of traffic.
Trouble judging gaps at intersections or highway entrance/exit ramps.

PennDOT offers older drivers and their loved ones a resource to help assess older drivers’ abilities and offer guidance on next steps if their medical condition is reported to PennDOT. The Seniors Driving Safely publication series can be downloaded for free here PennDOT Driver and Vehicle Services website.

Additionally, CarFit is an educational program to help older drivers find out how well they currently “fit” their personal vehicle, to learn how they can improve their fit, and to promote conversations about driver safety and community mobility.

The following safe-driving habits, which should be routine at any age, are especially useful to older drivers:

Plan ahead: lengthy car trips should be made during daylight hours. Morning may be best because most people aren’t as tired as they are in the afternoon.
Don’t drive in rush-hour traffic if you can avoid it. Plan trips after 9:00 AM or before 5:00 PM. Know what roads near home are most congested and avoid them.
When driving long distances, especially in winter, call ahead for weather and road condition updates.
Look ahead. Good drivers get a jump on trouble by looking far down the road and making adjustments before encountering problems that may involve other vehicles, pedestrians, bicyclists or animals.
Maintain a safe speed. This depends on what the road is like, how well the driver can see, how much traffic there is and how fast traffic is moving.
Keep a safe distance from the vehicle ahead of you. The PA Driver’s Manual advises that you should always keep a 4-second gap between you and the vehicle in front of you.

Pennsylvanians with insurance questions can contact the Insurance Department Consumer Services Bureau online or at 1-877-881-6388.

Additional information on older driver safety and mobility resources is available at both PennDOT Driver and Vehicle Services and the Department of Aging websites.

State Grant Program Funding Available

The latest grant opportunities from the state are located on my website! My office is happy to connect you with government funding opportunities like these, so please reach out if you have any questions or need a letter of support.

America250PA Semiquincentennial Scholarship Program

To commemorate America’s 250th anniversary and honor Pennsylvania’s strong commitment to education, America250PA will award $250,000 in scholarships to deserving Pennsylvania students attending in-state colleges next school year.

Any Pennsylvania high school senior planning to attend a college or university in Pennsylvania for the 2026–27 academic year is eligible to apply. Twenty-five scholarships of $10,000 each will be awarded.

Applications are due Jan. 31, 2026. More details, including matching opportunities from partner institutions, can be found here.