Words Matter Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Representative Sessions
In Committee
Summary
Modernize federal language by replacing "mental retardation" with "intellectual disability".
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- Families and individuals: Federal program descriptions, eligibility wording, and benefit materials in areas like school lunch, housing, Medicaid, and long-term care would use updated, respectful terminology instead of outdated, stigmatizing words.
- Justice system: Death-penalty rules, mental health court definitions, and criminal-justice grant provisions would be revised to refer to "intellectual disability" rather than older terms, changing legal language and case descriptions.
- Federal agencies and regulations: Agencies would be instructed to treat older references as referring to intellectual disability and to clearly note the historical terminology change. The bill includes a rule saying these wording updates are not meant to change coverage, eligibility, rights, or responsibilities.
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Bill Overview
No Economic Impacts Identified for this Bill
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Sessions
TX • R
Cosponsors
Pocan
WI • D
Sponsored 5/15/2025
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
DC • D
Sponsored 5/15/2025
Hudson
NC • R
Sponsored 5/15/2025
Zinke
MT • R
Sponsored 5/15/2025
Smith (NJ)
NJ • R
Sponsored 6/5/2025
Mann
KS • R
Sponsored 6/9/2025
Houchin
IN • R
Sponsored 6/26/2025
Letlow
LA • R
Sponsored 8/15/2025
Vindman
VA • D
Sponsored 9/2/2025
Babin
TX • R
Sponsored 9/17/2025
Weber (TX)
TX • R
Sponsored 9/18/2025
Fitzpatrick
PA • R
Sponsored 9/18/2025
Van Duyne
TX • R
Sponsored 10/31/2025
Sorensen
IL • D
Sponsored 2/23/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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