The REAL ID Act, a recently passed law that has the stated intention of improving homeland security, was passed by the Senate and signed into law by President Bush on May 10th, 2005. The Act tightens immigration and asylum requirements, as well as national standards for driver's licenses.

One of the provisions of the REAL ID Act requires all 50 states to meet certain federal standards in their issuing of driver's licenses. If the states do not meet these requirements, federal officials will not accept the license for ID purposes. (For example, a non- compliant ID could not be used to board a plane or train.) These standards require the states to include the following on their driver's license: full legal name, date of birth, gender, ID number, digital photograph, address, signature, security features, and a machine- readable technology. The states have three years after the Act's passage to comply, meaning that all fifty states should be in compliance by May 2008.

Recently, the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) has been contacted by concerned individuals who are having difficulties changing information on particular documents. In response to this, NCTE has spoken the Department of State and Social Security Administration about official policies on changing one's name and gender marker. Here's what we were told:

We have great news on the legislative front! We have made a lot of progress in the last few weeks. Nationally, we scored a major victory with the introduction of the federal Local Law Enforcement Hate Crime Prevention Act of 2005. Introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives on May 26, this bill would help protect against bias crimes based on gender identity, sexual orientation, gender and disability. The bill would also add gender identity to the Hate Crimes Statistics Act. This is the first time that a major bill including protections for the transgender community has been introduced on the federal level, and NCTE is pleased that the House of Representatives have introduced such long-overdue and important legislation. You can read NCTE Executive Director Mara Keisling's comments delivered at a press conference in the House of Representatives on the Act at www.nctequality.org/hatecrimesintroduction.pdf.

The National Transgender Advocacy Coalition (NTAC) sponsored two days of lobbying in Washington, DC, on May 19th and 20th. NCTE collaborated with NTAC by targeting and scheduling visits with members of Congress for lobby day participants. During these visits, trans people discussed the importance of including gender identity and expression in hate crimes legislation. They talked specifically about trans-inclusion in the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2005.

On May 21st the Transgender American Veterans Association (TAVA) commemorated and celebrated transgender veterans in Washington, DC. Trans veterans and their allies from across the country gathered for this historic occasion. NCTE helped kick off the weekend on the evening of May 20th by honoring the veterans with a welcome reception. The events continued the following day with a march to the Vietnam Wall, a visit to the Iwo Jima Memorial and WWII Memorial, and a wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington Cemetery.

NCTE understands that not everyone can come to DC to visit their members of Congress. For this reason, NCTE has scheduled another in-district Congressional education effort during the August Congressional recess when legislators are in their home districts. NCTE has regularly held these education efforts, programs in which we aid trans people and allies in visiting members of Congress in their home districts.

If you are interested in participating in, please call 202.639.6332 or sign up at www.nctequality.org/congressional_education_week.a sp.