You might wonder why a congressional committee with “Government Reform” in its title will be holding hearings on a private business’ struggle to tamp down drug use within its ranks – so are we. Believe it or not – with allegations of mismanagement careening through just about every U.S. agency from Homeland Security to the F.D.A. – the House Committee on Government Reform is, come March 17, going to hold hearings on the allegations of steroid use in Major League Baseball. On top of that, they have subpoenaed 11 MLB officials and players. Why?
In a press release, Chairman Tom Davis (R-Va.) wrote: "We have a responsibility to help educate all Americans -- but especially young people who admire and emulate their heroes -- about the very real health risks associated with steroid use." Ranking member Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), who is no slouch when it comes to genuine congressional oversight, echoed Davis’ comments.
Active, non-partisan congressional oversight is a rare and welcome thing these days, but don’t waste it on baseball. Save taxpayer funded hearings for issues like defense contractor misdeeds, Homeland Security Department vulnerabilities and waste, and the unhealthy lead levels in the nation’s water supplies that the EPA can’t seem to remedy.
Educate? Is that the purpose of this committee? Is that why tax dollars fund its staff, hearings and paperwork? Government Reform’s time and money should be going towards uncovering mismanagement and abuse in the federal government, not probing how MLB is handling its drug testing program. Steroids in baseball is a bad thing, we agree. But holding paper tiger hearings in Congress on the issue won’t solve anything (other than committee members’ possible thirst for press coverage). The committee isn’t investigating the drug testing policies of Wal-Mart, so why MLB?
You are exactly right. This is a shameful waste of tax money.
Posted by: | Mar 13, 2005 at 03:05 PM