HR3420-119

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Words Matter Act of 2025.

2. Removal of mentally retarded and mental retardation from Federal law Section 1079(d)(3)(B) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking is moderately or severely mentally retarded, has a serious physical disability, or has and inserting has a moderate to severe intellectual disability, a serious physical disability, or. Section 232(d)(4)(A) of the National Housing Act (12 U.S.C. 1715w(d)(4)(A)) is amended by striking the mentally retarded or developmentally disabled and inserting individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Section 3596(c) of title 18, United States Code, is amended by striking is mentally retarded and 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. Section 2201 of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10471) is amended— in paragraph (1) by striking mental retardation and inserting intellectual disabilities; and in paragraph (2)— 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. Section 2202(2) of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10472(2)) is amended by striking mental retardation and inserting intellectual disability each 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. Section 1128B of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1320a–7b) is amended by striking the mentally retarded and inserting individuals with intellectual disabilities each place it appears. Section 6201(a)(6)(E)(ix) of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (42 U.S.C. 1320a–7l(a)(6)(E)(ix)) is amended by striking the mentally retarded and 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; in section 1701, by striking combat mental retardation and inserting meet the needs of individuals with intellectual disabilities each 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. Section 1819(b)(4) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395i–3(b)(4)) is amended— 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. Title XIX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.) is amended— by striking intermediate care facility for the mentally retarded and inserting intermediate care facility for individuals with intellectual disabilities each 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 section 1919— in subsection (b)(3)— in subparagraph (E)— by striking mental retardation and inserting intellectual; and by striking is mentally ill or mentally retarded and 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; in clause (i) by striking is mentally ill and 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 clause (ii)— 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 mental illness after mentally ill; and in clause (ii) by striking be mentally retarded if the individual is mentally retarded or a person with and inserting have an intellectual disability if the individual has an intellectual disability or; and in the section heading of section 1922 by striking the mentally retarded and inserting individuals with intellectual disabilities. Section 2002(a)(2)(A) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1397a(a)(2)(A)) is amended by striking the mentally retarded and inserting individuals with intellectual disabilities. Section 12(d)(5) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1760(d)(5)) is amended by striking the mentally retarded and inserting individuals with intellectual disabilities. Section 15(3) of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1784(3)) is amended by striking the mentally retarded and inserting individuals with intellectual disabilities. Section 2(1)(B) of the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (42 U.S.C. 1997(1)(B)) is amended— 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.

3. Regulations 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.

4. Rule of construction 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.