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Washington, DC— Today, Congressman Elijah E. Cummings (D-Md.), a senior member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, released the following statement regarding today’s Committee hearing on Senator George Mitchell’s report on the use of steroids in Major League Baseball (MLB):
“Following the release of Senator Mitchell’s report, we found ourselves at a critical point calling for immediate, decisive action. We have learned very significant things from the Mitchell Report, and we must now use it as a tool to move forward, rather than reach back. We have entered the home stretch.
“Both MLB and the Players’ Union have made great strides toward moving away from what can sadly be referred to as “The Steroids Era” of baseball. I look forward to the continuing efforts of both parties to saving the integrity of America’s favorite pastime—and, more importantly, to saving the lives of the young athletes who aspire to one day join them.
“This is not about a witch hunt, and it is critical that we shift the attitude from one of ‘Who will be caught next?’ to the more essential ‘How can we move forward from here to protect our children?’ It is vital that we engage all parties involved in this—from MLB to the individual players—to become part of the solution. Unfortunately, this will be a futile effort as long as professional athletes feel that they are being victimized. In this vein, I encourage Commissioner Selig to implement Senator Mitchell’s recommendation to forego disciplining former steroid users.
“It is my hope that Mr. Donald Fehr’s statement that players should take a role in preventing young people from using steroids will resonate beyond baseball to every professional athlete in every sport. I further hope that every owner of every professional sports team will follow the example of Orioles owner Peter Angelos, who has agreed to partner with Powered by ME!—a unique Baltimore program comprised of professional athletes, coaches, and medical professionals committed to educating student athletes and their parents about the dangers of steroid use. It is only by working together and staying focused on the goal of protecting our children that we will be able to turn this page on baseball history.”
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