The Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, Inc. supports and applauds today’s introduction of “Rosa’s Law,” a bipartisan bill introduced by U.S. Senators Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) and Michael Enzi (R-WY).

Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) and Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY) today introduce a bill aimed at eliminating the archaic terms "mental retardation" or "mentally retarded" from Federal law. This legislation is modeled after Maryland's Rosa's Law which was enacted earlier this year. Rosa's Law is named for a young girl whose brother testified before the Maryland General Assembly saying "If we change the words, maybe it'll be the start of a new attitude towards people with intellectual disabilities."

Senator Mikulski introduced the bill today saying in part, “I stand on the Senate floor today to introduce, at the request of the family, a law on behalf of this little girl and on behalf of all of the children of the United States of America who are labeled, stigmatized and bear a burden the rest of their lives because of the language we use in the law books.

“My law changes the phrase ‘mentally retarded’ to ‘an individual with an intellectual disability’ We did this in health, education and labor policy without in any way negatively impinging upon either the educational or other benefits that these children are entitled to.”

Read Senator Mikulski’s full statement to the U.S. Senate upon introduction of the bill at: http://mikulski.senate.gov/record.cfm?id=319975&.