[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 93 (Monday, June 2, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E489]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





       INTRODUCTION OF THE REAL ID GENDER REQUIREMENT REFORM ACT

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                       HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

                      of the district of columbia

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, June 2, 2025

  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, today, I introduce the REAL ID Gender 
Requirement Reform Act, which would repeal the requirement in the REAL 
ID Act that REAL ID-compliant licenses include gender. Instead, states 
would decide whether to include gender on their respective REAL ID-
compliant licenses. I am pleased Representative Maxwell Frost is co-
leading this bill.
  Under this bill, if a state includes gender on its REAL ID-compliant 
licenses, the state must allow individuals to change the gender 
designation on their license through self-attestation. It would also 
require states that include gender on their REAL ID-compliant licenses 
to have a neutral or other designation gender field, in addition to 
male or female.
  Under the REAL ID Act, gender must be included on a license. This can 
be problematic for transgender and nonbinary individuals. I recognize 
that some LGBTQ+ individuals do not want gender designations on 
licenses at all, while others do want gender designation so as to 
express their identity. I believe this bill strikes the middle ground, 
while showing Congress' support for LGBTQ+ individuals.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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