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....