SAFETEA-LU

The U.S. House and Senate have passed the successor to the Transportation Equity Act of the 21st Century (TEA-21), which is called the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity Act: a Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU).

I want to know which set of congressional staffers sits around and comes up with the acronyms that we see from day to day in the news. Are there pools between the offices on who can come up with the catchiest phrase? The one with the best sound byte? The one that has the closest meaning to what it actually represents?

I’m impressed sometimes with what rolls off our collective national tongue.

Comments

  1. Tenner Avatar

    My favorite (non-governmental) acronym is still SPEBSQSA, the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement for Barbershop Quartet Singing in America.

    It’s pronounced SPEB-squah.

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