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Although Rosa’s Law, passed in 2010, removed some references to “mental retardation” in federal law, others remain.
A bill introduced May 5, 2023, by Wisconsin U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan, a Democrat, would remove the terms “mentally retarded” and “mental retardation” from federal law.
Under the “Words Matter Act,” the terms would be replaced with “intellectual disability.”
“Federal law should reflect the time in which we live and not include harmful words or slurs,” Pocan said in a statement.
The bipartisan measure has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee.
The American Psychiatric Association defines intellectual disability as problems with mental abilities that affect learning, problem solving, judgment and daily life activities such as communication and independent living.
“Mentally retarded” and “mental retardation,” once common, are considered outdated and offensive, according to the National Center on Disability and Journalism.
This Fact Brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
Congress.gov S.2781 – Rosa’s Law of 2010
US Congress H.R.3111 – Words Matter Act of 2023
WisPolitics U.S. Rep. Pocan, colleagues: Introduce Words Matter Act
American Psychiatric Association What is Intellectual Disability?
National Center on Disability and Journalism Disability Language Style Guide
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