A Republican bill with 5 Democratic cosponsors · See all 15 cosponsors
Last activity — Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
Introduced, nothing more yet
Formally proposed, and not yet handed to a committee.
Nearly every bill is sent to a committee within days. Introduction alone is not a sign of support, of momentum, or of any likelihood of passing — any member may introduce any bill.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
What this bill would do
The "Words Matter Act of 2025" is a bill designed to update federal language by removing outdated terms. It seeks to strike the terms "mentally retarded" and "mental retardation" from various sections of the United States Code and other federal laws. In their place, the bill inserts terms such as "intellectual disability" or "individuals with intellectual disabilities." These changes affect a wide range of areas including medical care, housing, criminal justice, and social security. The bill's primary goal is to update terminology without changing the actual coverage or rights of the people involved.
Yes· 3 of 10
- Scored +5
Would people with disabilities be better off under this?
The bill replaces outdated and offensive terms with respectful, modern language across numerous federal statutes.
- Scored +5
Does this expand the rights of people with disabilities?
The bill updates federal law to replace outdated and stigmatizing language with 'intellectual disability'.
- Scored +2
Would children be better off under this?
The bill updates medical care terminology for children receiving support services.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Updated Terminology in Medical and Care Settings: The bill replaces outdated language with "intellectual disability" or "individuals with intellectual disabilities" across many sectors, including medical care for spouses and children (Section 2(a)), nursing homes (Section 2(b)), and the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (Section 2(d) and 2(e)). This ensures that federal descriptions of people receiving care use current language.
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Consistency in Criminal Justice Language: The bill updates the language used in the context of the death penalty (Section 2(c)), grant authority for crime control (Section 2(f)), and mental health courts (Section 2(g)). This replaces "mentally retarded" with "intellectual disability."
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Improved Definitions in Social Programs: The bill updates language related to various social services, such as the Social Security Act (Section 2(j), 2(l), 2(m), 2(n), and 2(o)), the Child Nutrition Act (Section 2(q)), and the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 (Section 2(s)). This shifts the focus from "combatting mental retardation" to "meeting the needs of individuals with intellectual disabilities" (Section 2(l)).
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Clarification for Federal Regulations: To ensure a smooth transition, the bill mandates that federal agencies treat references to the old terms as references to the new terms in their regulations (Section 3).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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No Change to Rights or Eligibility: According to the "Rule of Construction" in the bill, these changes are not intended to change the coverage, eligibility, rights, or responsibilities of the individuals covered (Section 4). Therefore, there are no direct negative impacts on the benefits people receive.
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No Mandate for State Law Changes: The bill specifically states that it does not compel States to change the terminology used in their own State laws (Section 4). Consequently, people may still encounter the old terminology within their specific state-level legal or medical systems.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would people with disabilities be better off under this? — The bill replaces outdated and offensive terms with respectful, modern language across numerous federal statutes. Would children be better off under this? — The bill updates medical care terminology for children receiving support services. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The bill updates terminology within the Social Security Act and Medicaid-related provisions. Would Native Americans be better off under this? — The bill updates terminology within the Indian Health Care Improvement Act.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this expand the rights of people with disabilities? — The bill updates federal law to replace outdated and stigmatizing language with 'intellectual disability'. Does this shorten or soften prison sentences? — The bill updates sentencing language to use more current and respectful terminology regarding intellectual disabilities. Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — The bill updates language within the Social Security Act related to meeting the needs of individuals with intellectual disabilities.
- Healthcare
- Does this make health care easier to get in general? — The bill updates terminology in the Indian Health Care Improvement Act to ensure respectful communication in healthcare delivery. Does this put more money into Medicaid, the health coverage for people on low incomes? — The bill updates terminology related to Medicaid assistance programs to use more respectful language.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill provides clear instructions for federal agencies to update their regulations to reflect updated terminology.
- 5/12/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 3/26/2026
- Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
- Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
- 2/23/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 10/31/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 9/18/2025
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- 9/17/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 9/2/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 8/15/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 6/26/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 6/9/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 6/5/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 5/15/2025
- Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- 4 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in House
Brian BabinRepublican · Texas
Brian FitzpatrickRepublican · Pennsylvania
Richard HudsonRepublican · North Carolina
Erin HouchinRepublican · Indiana
Julia LetlowRepublican · Louisiana
Tracey MannRepublican · Kansas
Seth MoultonDemocrat · Massachusetts
Eleanor NortonDemocrat · District of Columbia
Mark PocanDemocrat · Wisconsin
Christopher SmithRepublican · New Jersey
Eric SorensenDemocrat · Illinois
Beth Van DuyneRepublican · Texas
Eugene VindmanDemocrat · Virginia
Randy WeberRepublican · Texas
Ryan ZinkeRepublican · Montana