[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 496 Agreed to House (ATH)]







107th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 496

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that Major League 
   Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association should 
             implement a mandatory steroid testing program.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 22, 2002

  Mrs. Johnson of Connecticut (for herself, Mr. Osborne, Mr. Watts of 
 Oklahoma, Mr. Kind, Mr. Simmons, Mr. Foley, Mr. Israel, Mr. Camp, Mr. 
   Holden, Mr. Gekas, Mr. Culberson, Mr. McInnis, Mr. Houghton, Mr. 
Boswell, Mr. Boehlert, Mr. Castle, and Ms. Pryce of Ohio) submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 
                                Commerce

                             July 22, 2002

Committee on Energy and Commerce discharged; which was considered under 
                 suspension of the rules and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that Major League 
   Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association should 
             implement a mandatory steroid testing program.

Whereas studies have shown an alarming increase in steroid use among children, 
        who may be modeling their behavior after professional athletes;
Whereas one report said that steroid use by high school boys was as high as 12 
        percent;
Whereas earlier this year, 2 retired Major League Baseball players, each having 
        been a Most Valuable Player, admitted to steroid use, unleashing a wave 
        of articles about rampant use throughout the league;
Whereas the stories have focused on the muscle-enhancing aspect of steroids, 
        linking it to a surge in power hitting among many players;
Whereas the Nation's children are receiving the wrong message, namely that drug 
        use is not only permissible, but desirable if an individual wants to 
        perform at his or her best;
Whereas the truth is that steroids are dangerous and harmful to an individual's 
        health and have no place in our national pastime or the lives of the 
        Nation's children;
Whereas other professional sports, notably football, basketball, and even the 
        Olympics, already ban steroids, a dangerous drug that often causes liver 
        damage, kidney failure, heart disease, and brain tumors;
Whereas although steroid use is illegal without a doctor's prescription, the 
        failure in Major League Baseball to test for such use has led to 
        speculation that steroids are widely abused by many of today's players;
Whereas professional baseball players have tremendous influence on children and 
        therefore have an obligation to attempt to be good role models;
Whereas the question of rampant, systemic steroid abuse now hangs over a game 
        that the people of the United States love; and
Whereas instituting mandatory steroid testing will send the right message to the 
        public, namely that Major League Baseball is serious about banning 
        steroids and will continually work to protect the integrity of the game: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives 
that--
            (1) Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball 
        Players Association should implement a mandatory steroid 
        testing program; and
            (2) such a program would send a clear message to our 
        Nation's children that steroids are dangerous, illegal, and 
        morally offensive to our country's competitive spirit and one 
        of our most cherished sports.
                                 <all>