Tri-Partisanship Prevails!

Democrat, Republican and Independent Unite over Acronymic Bill Title! Lawmakers also deploy proven buzzwords to describe legislation.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 12, 2011 

Lieberman, Brown, Landrieu Introduce STELLAR Student Act

Legislation Offers Measures to Reform Education

WASHINGTON, DC- Last week Senators Joe Lieberman (CT-I), Scott Brown (MA-R) and Mary Landrieu (LA-D) introduced the Securing Teacher Effectiveness, Leaders, Learning, and Results Act (STELLAR Student Act)....

“ We will do a disservice to our nation’s future and the prospects of our children if we do not take bold steps to improve our nation’s public education system.  This commonsense legislation addresses a critical factor in meeting that challenge...” stated Senator Lieberman. ....

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Opposite of OPEC

Sen. Herb Kohl (D., Wis.) introduces NOPEC: S. 394: This Act may be cited as the `No Oil Producing and Exporting Cartels Act of 2011' or `NOPEC'.

Eight Miles High

House Speaker John Boehner (R., Ohio) reaches for the sky with H.R. 471: "This Act may be cited as the `Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Act' or the `SOAR Act'.

Get Out!

Hey Aliens, Rep. Gary Miller's (R., Calif.) H.R. 1196 spells it out for you: Sec. 1. Short Title. This Act may be cited as the `Loophole Elimination and Verification Enforcement Act' or the `LEAVE Act'.

Use It or Use It or Lose It?

Rep. Ed Markey (D., Mass.) says USE IT Act with his H.R. 927: SEC. 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the `United States Exploration on Idle Tracts Act' or the `USE IT Act'.


Sen. Bob Casey (D., Pa.) doubles down with his S. 199, the Use It or Lose It Act: SEC. 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the `Use It or Lose It Act of 2011'.


Sen. Bob Menendez (D., N.J.) decides to use that title himself, giving the same non-acronymic slogan to S. 600, whose eight cosponsors don't include Sen. Casey: SEC. 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the `Use It or Lose It Act of 2011'.

"With a rebel yell, more, more more!"

Rep. Ken Calvert (R., Calif.) channels Billy Idol with his H.R. 903:

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Maximize Offshore Resource Exploration Act of 2011' or the `MORE Act of 2011'.

Sheepskin from Vermont

If they awarded degrees in acronymology, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) could have been graduated summa cum laude:

S.426

DIPLOMA Act (Introduced in Senate - IS)

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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

(a) Short Title- This Act may be cited as the `Developing Innovative Partnerships and Learning Opportunities that Motivate Achievement Act' or the `DIPLOMA Act'.

"The PLAY Act's the Thing...

Wherein I'll coin an acronym with a ring..". In honor of my Page One story today, Rep. John Conyers Jr. (D., Mich.) introduces the PLAY Act:

Monday, March 14, 2011  

                                                                  

Conyers Introduces the PLAY Act, the “Prevent Lockout of Athletes This Year Act”

(Washington)- House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) issued the following statement regarding the National Football League’s lockout and the special broadcast television antitrust exemption enjoyed by professional football:  

               .... [L]ater today, I  will be introducing legislation to repeal the broadcast television antitrust exemption with regard to professional football.   We are taking this action for several reasons: 

               

                First, a recent court decision highlighted the potential for abuse of these specially protected television contract negotiations in the football context.  A federal judge in Minnesota found that the league manipulated its broadcast contracts to build up a lockout fund and gain leverage against the players.  Judge Doty found this was done in bad faith, and wrote that “the NFL undertook contract renegotiations to advance its own interests and harm the interests of the players.”

                Second, the congressionally created antitrust exemption, dating from 1961, is a specially granted anomaly.  No other business benefits from an antitrust exemption for television negotiations.  Most professional sports do not have such an exemption –  not soccer,  not tennis, and not golf.  And neither do any amateur sports –  not the Olympics, not college  football and not college basketball.

                Third, at a time when the economy is struggling and the NFL has chosen to lock out its players, it is particularly inappropriate to allow the league to benefit from a special antitrust exemption.  The lockout has been estimated to take at least $5.1 billion out of local economies around the nation.  This will bring about significant economic harm in economically ravaged cities like Detroit, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Buffalo.  In that context it is appropriate for Congress to revoke an exemption that serves to unbalance the playing field between the parties....

Home Run!

Rep. Laura Richardson (D., Calif.) wins the pennant with this bill:

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Build America Bonds Extension for Rural and Urban Transportation and Highways Act of 2011' or the `BABE RUTH Act of 2011'.

David and Jane and Michael and Kristen

Victims' names still a staple, including:

• David's Law, by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D., Texas)
• Michael Jon Newkirk Transportation Safety Enhancement Act , by Rep. Jackson Lee

• Jane's Law, by Rep. Steve Cohen (D., Tenn.).
• Kristen's Act Reauthorization, by Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D., Texas). 

The POWER That Be

More POWER to the Silver State! Sen. John Ensign (R., Nev.) won't take a back seat to Sen. Reid when it comes to bill titles, like this one:  

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Prisoner Opportunity, Work, and Education Requirement Act' or the `POWER Act'.

Step 1 Accomplished!

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D., Nev.) has the solution:

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Middle Class Success Act'.

Verdi, Puccini and... Connolly?

Rep. Gerry Connolly (D., Va.) composes his OPERA.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Oil Pollution Environmental Review Act' or `OPERA'.

Take this JOBS Act and...

Will Rep. Paul Broun (R., Ga.) have a tough job passing his JOBS Act? 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Jumpstarting Our Business Sector Act of 2011'.

Sounds Fishy!

Sen. Scott Brown (R., Mass.) gives us the FISH Act -- that's the Fishing Impact Statement Honesty Act of 2011.

Better, Best, BESTEST!

Who's got the best Best Practices Act? Rep. Bob Filner (D., Calif) takes on Rep. Bobby Rush (D., Ill.):

Mr. Filner's BEST (Battlefield Excellence through Superior Training) Practices Act

vs.

Mr. Rush's BEST PRACTICES (Building Effective Strategies To Promote Responsibility Accountability Choice Transparency Innovation Consumer Expectations and Safeguards) Act

ACCESS Act of 2011

Rep. Sam Graves (R., Mo.) gives us the ACCESS Act. Here's the whole bill:

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Airport Master Plan Customer Convenience Enhancement, Security, and Sustainability Act of 2011' or the `ACCESS Act of 2011'.

SEC. 2. AIRPORT MASTER PLANS.

Section 47101 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

`(i) Additional Goals for Airport Master Plans- In addition to the goals set forth in subsection (g)(2), the Secretary of Transportation shall encourage (including through Federal Aviation Administration advisory circulars) airport sponsors and State and local officials to consider in airport master plans the following:

`(1) Customer convenience.

`(2) Airport ground access.

`(3) Access to airport facilities.'.

Preamble

Earlier this year, The Wall Street Journal reported on the explosion of creativity on Capitol Hill, as lawmakers took the once-fusty and utilitarian function of naming bills into new heights of expression. But time did not stop on January 12, 2011, so, as a continuing service to the creative community in Washington and beyond, this blog will highlight some of the most notable nomenclatural achievements of the 112th Congress. Of course, Washington isn't the only place where lawmaking has been enlivened by the decorative use of acronyms, slogans and victim names, so readers are invited to add their own finds from statehouses, city halls and other artistic microcommunities.