Waxman, Davis: We’re Looking At Steroids in Baseball — Again!

Remember that fateful day? March 17, 2005? When House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Tom Davis (R-VA) held his hearing into steroids in baseball, and Mark McGuire disgraced himself for all time? When Jose Canseco named names? And Sammy Sosa pretended not to speak English?

Well, there may not be do-overs in baseball, but it’s time for a rematch of sorts. Davis, now the committee’s ranking member, and Henry Waxman (D-CA), the chairman, announced today that they’ll ask steroids investigator George Mitchell, baseball commissioner Bud Selig and players’ union chief Don Fehr to testify next week. Unfortunately, none of the implicated players — Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte, the whole gang — will be “invited” to speak. However, reliable sources tell us the official soundtrack for the hearing will be Bruce Springsteen’s “Glory Days.”

Full statement after the jump.

Here’s that Waxman/Davis statement:

“This is a sad day for Major League Baseball but a good day for integrity in sports. It’s an important step towards the goal of eliminating the use of performance enhancing substances.

“The Mitchell report is sobering. It shows the use of steroids and human growth hormone has been and is a significant problem in Major League Baseball. And it shows that everyone involved in Major League Baseball bears some responsibility for this scandal.

“We are going to ask Senator George Mitchell, Commissioner Bud Selig, and the President of the Major League Players Association, Don Fehr, to testify at a House Oversight and Government Reform hearing on Tuesday, December 18. We look forward to their testimony on whether the Mitchell report’s recommendations will be adopted and whether additional measures are needed.

“We want to commend Commissioner Selig for authorizing this investigation and thank Senator Mitchell for his dedication to this effort.”