Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed “Rosa’s Law,” which would remove the terms “mentally retarded” and “mental retardation” from federal laws, to be replaced with “intellectually disabled/disabilities.” From the Disability News blog:
The measure, called "Rosa's Law" in honor of a Maryland girl who has Down syndrome, has already passed the Senate and is expected to be signed into law by President Obama. "This law is about families fighting for the respect and dignity of their loved ones," said Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), one of the measure's sponsors.
The text of the law can be found here. (pdf) And here’s an ABC News story about Rosa Marcellino, the 9-year-old with Down syndrome whose name has been given to this law.