Universal Drug Policy Demanded

As a House subcommittee called Thursday for the implementation of a single drug policy for all U.S. professional and amateur sports, the House Government Reform Committee claimed it had the jurisdiction to investigate Major League Baseball’s steroid policies in a March 17 hearing, for which it has subpoenaed 11 baseball executives and current and former players.

Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.), chairman of the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee, said drug programs and testing for all sports should be “as consistent and robust as our criminal laws in this area. Nothing less should be tolerated.”

A Major League Baseball official said Thursday that baseball would support such a nationwide program.

The Government Reform Committee also released correspondence addressed to baseball lawyer Stanley Brand, answering Brand’s claim that the committee lacked the authority to conduct its investigation. Committee Chairman Tom Davis (R-Va.) and ranking member Henry A. Waxman (D-Los Angeles) have also subpoenaed many of baseball’s records on steroids.

The letter quotes House rules, in which, “The Committee on Government Reform may at any time conduct investigations of any matter,” and asserts, “the use of illegal performance-enhancing drugs under the Federal Controlled Substances Act is a ‘matter’ within the oversight jurisdiction” of Congress and the committee.

It also cites three articles written in the last decade -- by the Los Angeles Times, Sports Illustrated and the New York Times -- that told of steroid use in baseball, and concluded, according to the committee’s letter, “that [baseball] management was aware of the problem but did not intervene or investigate.”

Baseball officials and lawyers have argued that the hearing is without merit and infringes on the privacy rights of the players and the collective bargaining agreement, particularly given recent program results that showed fewer than 2% of major leaguers had tested positive for steroids in 2004.

The committee answered Thursday that baseball and its players “should not be above responsible scrutiny.... We believe that [they] should not be singled out for unfair or punitive treatment.

“But at the same time, baseball and ballplayers do not, by virtue of their celebrity, deserve special treatment or to be placed above the law.”

Baseball and committee officials continued to communicate behind the scenes Thursday, and there was some indication the list of witnesses could be altered. The committee has subpoenaed Commissioner Bud Selig, Executive Vice President Rob Manfred, Players’ Assn. director Don Fehr, San Diego Padre General Manager Kevin Towers and seven past or current players: Jose Canseco, Mark McGwire, Jason Giambi, Sammy Sosa, Curt Schilling, Frank Thomas and Rafael Palmeiro. Major League Baseball told the committee that Manfred, Fehr and Executive Vice President Sandy Alderson would attend.

Canseco has agreed to attend and Thomas has told reporters he would attend.

Subpoenaed witnesses who do not attend could be cited with contempt of Congress.

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Chicago Cub pitcher Kerry Wood returned to Chicago to have his right shoulder examined.

Wood felt tightness in his pitching shoulder Wednesday and had an MRI exam before heading to Chicago, Manager Dusty Baker said.

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Ken Griffey Jr. went 0 for 1 with a walk in his first at-bats since his surgery Aug. 16 to reattach his torn right hamstring. Griffey played during the Reds’ 4-3 win over Detroit at Sarasota, Fla.

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Baltimore Oriole pitcher Sidney Ponson, involved in a court case in Aruba, obtained a U.S. work visa that will allow him to appear in spring training games.

Associated Press contributed to this report.