Index: Lib/test/test_operator.py
===================================================================
--- Lib/test/test_operator.py	(revision 54535)
+++ Lib/test/test_operator.py	(working copy)
@@ -360,6 +360,11 @@
         self.failIf(operator.is_not(a, b))
         self.failUnless(operator.is_not(a,c))
 
+    def test_identity(self):
+        ob = object()
+        self.assertEqual(operator.identity(ob), ob)
+        self.assertEqual(operator.is_(operator.identity(ob), ob), True)
+
     def test_attrgetter(self):
         class A:
             pass
Index: Doc/lib/liboperator.tex
===================================================================
--- Doc/lib/liboperator.tex	(revision 54535)
+++ Doc/lib/liboperator.tex	(working copy)
@@ -74,7 +74,12 @@
 \versionadded{2.3}
 \end{funcdesc}
 
+\begin{funcdesc}{identity}{a}
+Return \code{\var{a}}.  The identity function.
+\versionadded{2.6}
+\end{funcdesc}
 
+
 The mathematical and bitwise operations are the most numerous:
 
 \begin{funcdesc}{abs}{o}
Index: Modules/operator.c
===================================================================
--- Modules/operator.c	(revision 54535)
+++ Modules/operator.c	(working copy)
@@ -205,6 +205,13 @@
 	Py_RETURN_NONE;
 }
 
+static PyObject *
+identity(PyObject *dummy, PyObject *ob)
+{
+	Py_INCREF(ob);
+	return ob;
+}
+
 #undef spam1
 #undef spam2
 #undef spam1o
@@ -236,6 +243,8 @@
  "countOf(a, b) -- Return the number of times b occurs in a.")
 spam1o(isMappingType,
  "isMappingType(a) -- Return True if a has a mapping type, False otherwise.")
+spam1o(identity,
+ "identity(a) -- Return the object a.")
 
 spam1(is_, "is_(a, b) -- Same as a is b.")
 spam1(is_not, "is_not(a, b) -- Same as a is not b.")
Index: Misc/NEWS
===================================================================
--- Misc/NEWS	(revision 54535)
+++ Misc/NEWS	(working copy)
@@ -657,6 +657,8 @@
 - Bug #1633621: if curses.resizeterm() or curses.resize_term() is called,
   update _curses.LINES, _curses.COLS, curses.LINES and curses.COLS.
 
+- Feature Request #1673203: add the identity function to the operator module.
+
 Tests
 -----