Introduction of the Words Matter for the District of Columbia Courts Act

Floor Speech

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Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, today I introduce the Words Matter for the District of Columbia Courts Act, which would remove the term ``retarded'' from Title 11 of the District of Columbia Code and replace it with more appropriate and respectful terminology. I am pleased that Representative Marc Molinaro is the co-lead of this bill.

Removing the term from the law has bipartisan support. In 2010, Congress removed several instances of the term from federal law by passing Rosa's Law (P.L. 111-256). Earlier this year, I joined both Republican and Democratic colleagues in introducing the Words Matter Act, which would remove several more instances of the term from federal law.

The term is used three times in Title 11 of the D.C. Code, and, under the D.C. Home Rule Act, only Congress can amend Title 11 of the D.C. Code.

There was a time when the term was a clinical term, but in more recent years, it has become a slur used against people with intellectual disabilities. Words indisputably matter, and I know our country is better than keeping such language in our law.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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