The phrase '' cover your ass '' is generally viewed as a vulgar term , often replaced by the less-vulgar sounding initials '' CYA '' Safire identified '' CYA '' as a synecdoche , in the same sense that the word " ass " had come to reference the whole person . The word " ass " in the phrase is often replaced with more polite versions or other euphemisms , such as " cover your actions " , " cover your rear end " , or " cover your butt " , according to Safire . The " cover your butt " variant has been used in various ways , such as by Minnesota health authorities urging citizens to undergo preventive colorectal exams , as a way to " cover " themselves medically from possible future cancer . In banking , officers tasked with making sure the bank follows proper regulatory procedures , called compliance officers , may realize that certain dubious transactions , such as money laundering and terrorist financing , will occur regardless of any regulatory restrictions ; still , to protect themselves and their banks against possible future sanctions , they may engage in CYA activity such as issuing unnecessary memos , obfuscating documents or conducting transactions discreetly , as ways to absolve themselves from possible future liability . The term is widely used in journalism . Safire explained how the term is used in bureaucracy : Because these practices are so routine , a genuine warning can be mistaken for CYA behavior , causing a type II error or false-negative error , with disastrous results . For example , in the summer preceding the attacks of 9/11 , U.S. president George W. Bush was briefed on a now-famous August 6 , 2001 , memo titled '' Bin Ladin Determined To Strike in US '' . Bush 's response to the briefer was reportedly : " All right . You 've covered your ass , now . " In another example , before the launch of the United States spaceship Challenger which ended tragically with the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster , the final launch approval by rocket maker Morton Thiokol contained the phrase " information on this page was prepared to support an oral presentation and can not be considered complete without the oral discussion " ; this notice was later described as a " CYA notice " by information design specialist Edward Tufte . In print , it can have the form of a disclaimer ; for example , '' Slate '' magazine suggested that the White House used the phrase " It is important not to read too much into any one monthly report " as a disclaimer on reports , and this was described as a CYA activity . The term has been applied in the medical profession to describe doctors who prescribe unnecessary medical tests for patients , to protect themselves against possible future lawsuits . The term has been used to describe a cultural tendency which works against accountability and risk-taking , such as in a war effort when generals engage in much '' cover your ass '' activity which avoids taking real responsibility
attacks of 9/11
September 11 attacks
Cover your ass