[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 180 (Wednesday, November 1, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1038]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 INTRODUCTION OF THE WORDS MATTER FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA COURTS 
                                  ACT

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                       HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

                      of the district of columbia

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 1, 2023

  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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