Joe Sempolinski

Representative Joe Sempolinski is co-sponsoring the bipartisan “Words Matter Act” as part of Down’s Syndrome Awareness Month.

Sempolinski said the legislation would eliminate the use of the “R” word in U.S. code, “You know there’s a very rude word that starts with the letter ‘R’ that’s sometimes used for those with developmental disabilities and that word is still in a variety of places in the United States code. There’s no place for that in 2022. So this would replace that out-of-date terminology to more respectful terminology that focuses on the dignity of folks who have developmental disabilities.”

Sempolinski said when a law is passed it goes into the U.S. Code as it was written at the time, “And so any law that might impact the disability community, whether it’s in health care or education or accommodation or anything, it was written in an era when that word was used, it would still potentially be there. And obviously, this is something the cost will be minimal. You just go through and literally change that particular word to something like ‘developmental disability.'”

He added that the bill is supported by the Global Down’s Syndrome Foundation and the Special Olympics.

Sempolinski’s oldest daughter has Down’s Syndrome.