Issa, Cummings praise MLB decision on HGH testing

House Oversight Committee leaders praised Major League Baseball's decision to introduce in-season tests for human growth hormone (HGH) for players.

The announcement, made by Commissioner Bud Selig on Thursday, sends a "strong message to young people everywhere that performance-enhancing drugs are dangerous and unacceptable," Oversight leaders said.

Voters failed to elect anyone to the National Baseball Hall of Fame this year. Several candidates failed because of concerns over steroid use. 

Doping is also at the center of a standoff between the National Football League (NFL) and players on what constitutes a positive HGH test and what experts should decide.

Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) and ranking member Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) have promised to find government medical experts who are acceptable to both sides.

In their statement late Wednesday, Issa and Cummings called on the NFL to implement a "robust" testing regime.

"Major League Baseball’s announcement increases the pressure on the NFL and its players to deliver on pledges to conduct HGH testing made in their collective bargaining agreement that was signed two years ago," the lawmakers said.

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