HR 3420
Words Matter Act of 2025
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Bill overview
The Words Matter Act of 2025 aims to modernize the way the federal government refers to individuals with intellectual disabilities. It systematically removes the outdated and stigmatizing terms "mentally retarded" and "mental retardation" from a wide range of federal laws and regulations. The bill replaces these terms with "intellectual disability" across numerous programs and agencies, including healthcare, housing, criminal justice, and social services. It also clarifies definitions and ensures consistent language is used when discussing these individuals.
Key provisions
- Replaces "mentally retarded" with "intellectual disability" in various federal statutes.
- Updates definitions related to intellectual disability in healthcare programs.
- Modifies mortgage insurance regulations to include individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities.
- Changes the definition of fetal alcohol syndrome to include intellectual disability.
- Consistently uses "intellectual disability" in grant authority and criminal justice contexts.
- Replaces "mental retardation" with "intellectual disability" in numerous sections of the Social Security Act.
- Updates regulations to reflect the change in terminology, clarifying the historical use of "mentally retarded".
- Ensures that the changes do not alter existing program coverage or eligibility requirements.
Who is affected
- Individuals with intellectual disabilities
- Healthcare providers and agencies
- Housing providers and agencies
- Criminal justice system personnel
Sponsors
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Primary sponsor
Cosponsors
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119th CONGRESS — 1st Session
H. R. 3420
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
A BILL
To amend Federal law to remove the terms mentally retarded
and mental retardation
, and for other purposes.
This Act may be cited as the Words Matter Act of 2025
.
mentally retardedand
mental retardationfrom Federal law
is moderately or severely mentally retarded, has a serious physical disability, or hasand inserting
has a moderate to severe intellectual disability, a serious physical disability, or.
the mentally retarded or developmentally disabledand inserting
individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities.
is mentally retardedand inserting
has an intellectual disability.
Section 4(9)(A) of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 1603(9)(A)) is amended by striking mental retardation
and inserting intellectual disability
.
Section 701 of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 1665) is amended by striking mental retardation
and inserting intellectual disability
each place it appears.
in paragraph (1) by striking mental retardation
and inserting intellectual disabilities
; and
in subparagraph (A) by striking a mentally ill or mentally retarded offender
and inserting an offender who has a mental illness or intellectual disability
; and
in subparagraph (C) by striking of a mentally ill or mentally retarded defendant’s cases
and inserting cases of a defendant who has a mental illness or intellectual disability
.
mental retardationand inserting
intellectual disabilityeach place it appears.
Section 549(c)(3)(B)(iv) of title 40, United States Code, is amended by striking the mentally retarded or physically handicapped
and inserting individuals with intellectual or physical disabilities
.
Section 747A(a) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 293k–1(a)) is amended by striking mental retardation
and inserting intellectual disabilities
.
the mentally retardedand inserting
individuals with intellectual disabilitieseach place it appears.
the mentally retardedand inserting
individuals with intellectual disabilities.
Title XVII of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1391 et seq.) is amended—
in the title heading by striking combat mental retardation
and inserting meet the needs of individuals with intellectual disabilities
;
combat mental retardationand inserting
meet the needs of individuals with intellectual disabilitieseach place it appears;
in section 1702—
by striking needed to combat mental retardation
and inserting needed to meet the needs of individuals with intellectual disabilities
;
by striking the mental retardation problem and of the need for combating it
and inserting such needs
;
by striking relating to the various aspects of mental retardation and its prevention, treatment, or amelioration
and inserting to meet such needs
; and
by striking community action to combat mental retardation
and inserting community action to meet such needs
; and
in section 1703 by striking the mentally retarded
and inserting individuals with intellectual disabilities
.
mentally ill and mentally retarded residentsand inserting
residents with mental illnesses or intellectual disabilities; and
in subparagraph (C)(ii)(IV) by striking the mentally ill and the mentally retarded
and inserting individuals with mental illnesses or intellectual disabilities
.
intermediate care facility for the mentally retardedand inserting
intermediate care facility for individuals with intellectual disabilitieseach place it appears;
by striking intermediate care facilities for the mentally retarded
and inserting intermediate care facilities for individuals with intellectual disabilities
each place it appears;
in section 1905(d)—
in the matter preceding paragraph (1) by striking the mentally retarded or persons with
and inserting individuals with intellectual disabilities or
;
in paragraph (1) by striking mentally retarded individuals
and inserting individuals with intellectual disabilities
; and
in paragraph (2) by striking mentally retarded individual
and inserting individual who has an intellectual disability
;
in the section heading of section 1910 by striking the mentally retarded
and inserting individuals with intellectual disabilities
;
in section 1915(c)(7)(C) by striking mental retardation or a related condition
and inserting intellectual disabilities or related conditions
;
in subsection (b)(3)—
in subparagraph (E)—
by striking mental retardation
and inserting intellectual
; and
is mentally ill or mentally retardedand inserting
has a mental illness or intellectual disability; and
in subparagraph (F)—
in the subparagraph heading by striking mentally ill and mentally retarded individuals
and inserting individuals who have mental illnesses or intellectual disabilities
;
by striking State mental retardation
and inserting State intellectual
each place it appears;
is mentally illand inserting
has a mental illness; and
in clause (ii)—
by striking is mentally retarded
and inserting has an intellectual disability
; and
by striking for mental retardation
and inserting for such intellectual disability
;
in subsection (b)(4)—
in subparagraph (A)(vii) by striking mentally ill and mentally retarded residents
and inserting residents with mental illnesses or intellectual disabilities
; and
in subparagraph (C)(ii)(IV) by striking the mentally ill and the mentally retarded
and inserting individuals with mental illnesses or intellectual disabilities
; and
in subsection (e)(7)—
in subparagraph (A)(i) by striking mentally ill and mentally retarded individuals
and inserting individuals with mental illnesses or intellectual disabilities
;
in subparagraph (B)—
by striking State mental retardation
and inserting State intellectual
each place it appears;
in the clause heading by striking mentally retarded residents
and inserting residents with intellectual disabilities
;
in the matter preceding clause (I) by striking is mentally retarded
and inserting has an intellectual disability
; and
in subclause (II) by striking mental retardation
and inserting an intellectual disability
; and
in clause (iii) by striking mentally ill or mentally retarded resident
and inserting resident who has a mental illness or intellectual disability
;
in subparagraph (C) by striking mental retardation
and inserting intellectual disability
in each place it appears;
in subparagraph (E)—
by striking are mentally retarded or mentally ill
and inserting have an intellectual disability or mental illness
; and
by striking mental retardation
and inserting intellectual disability
; and
in subparagraph (G)—
in clause (i) by inserting or have a
after mental illness
; andmentally ill
in clause (ii) by striking be
and inserting mentally retarded
if the individual is mentally retarded or a person withhave an
; andintellectual disability
if the individual has an intellectual disability or
in the section heading of section 1922 by striking the mentally retarded
and inserting individuals with intellectual disabilities
.
the mentally retardedand inserting
individuals with intellectual disabilities.
the mentally retardedand inserting
individuals with intellectual disabilities.
the mentally retardedand inserting
individuals with intellectual disabilities.
in clause (i) by striking disabled, or retarded, or chronically ill or handicapped
and inserting physically or intellectually disabled, or chronically ill
; and
in clause (iv)(III) by striking mentally ill or disabled, mentally retarded, or chronically ill or handicapped
and inserting mentally ill, physically or intellectually disabled, or chronically ill
.
Title I of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 15001 et seq.) is amended—
by striking Intermediate Care Facility (Mental Retardation)
and inserting intermediate care facility for individuals with intellectual disabilities
each place it appears;
in section 109(a)(4)(B)(i) by striking the mentally retarded
and inserting individuals with intellectual disabilities
; and
in section 125(c)(7)(F)(i) by striking Intermediate Care Facilities (Mental Retardation)
and inserting intermediate care facilities for individuals with intellectual disabilities
.
For the purposes of a regulation issued to carry out a provision amended by this Act—
before the regulation is amended to carry out this Act—
a reference in the regulation to mental retardation
shall be considered to be a reference to an intellectual disability
; and
a reference in the regulation to the mentally retarded
, or individuals who are mentally retarded
, shall be considered to be a reference to individuals with intellectual disabilities
; and
in amending a regulation to carry out this Act, a Federal agency shall ensure that the regulation clearly states—
that an intellectual disability
was formerly termed mental retardation
; and
that individuals with intellectual disabilities
were formerly termed the mentally retarded
or individuals who are mentally retarded
.
This Act shall be construed to amend Federal law to remove the term mentally retarded
and mental retardation
without any intent to—
change the coverage, eligibility, rights, responsibilities, or definitions referred to in the amended provisions; or
compel States to change terminology in State laws for individuals covered by a provision amended by this Act.