[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 60 (Wednesday, April 25, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Page S2734]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. CONRAD (for himself and Mr. Crapo):
  S. 2367. A bill to strike the word ``lunatic'' from Federal law, and 
for other purposes; to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban 
Affairs.
  Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, today I am pleased to be joined by Senator 
Crapo in introducing the 21st Century Language Act of 2012. This 
bipartisan legislation updates federal law by eliminating references 
that contribute to the stigmatization of mental health conditions. 
Specifically, this legislation removes the word ``lunatic'' from 
several sections of the United States Code to reflect our nation's 
modern understanding of mental health conditions.
  Recently, a North Dakota constituent contacted my office to express 
support for legislative efforts to remove this outdated and 
inappropriate language from federal law. Senator Crapo and I agree that 
federal law should reflect the 21st century understanding of mental 
illness and disease, and that the continued use of this pejorative term 
has no place in the U.S. Code.
  Senator Crapo and I have worked with the Senate Banking Committee to 
confirm that ``lunatic'' is an unnecessary term and that its removal 
will have no impact on the broader federal law. This legislation enjoys 
strong support from a number of mental health advocates across the 
nation, including the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Mental 
Health America, National Council on Community Behavioral Healthcare, 
and the Clinical Social Work Association. I hope my colleagues will 
join me in working to pass this overdue update to the U.S. Code.

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