Amid a series of high-profile hearings on steroid use among athletes, some in Congress are calling for a law that mandates drug testing in all professional sports, the Associated Press reported Feb. 28.

"Let's get it right this time ... Let's go ahead and get something into law that is acceptable," said Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas), a member of the house Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection, which this week heard testimony from NBA commissioner David Stern, among others. "It's no fun having this hearing every two to three years."

Some House members said that sports leagues haven't done enough to address the issue of drug use since the last major Congressional hearings on the subject in 2005. "In spite of the fact that they want to pronounce that they have it under control, I still think that it's not fully under control," said subcommittee chairman Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.). Rush said that "there might be a possibility that legislation is not required," but added, "We want to have a deliberate approach."

Stern, however, said that the four major sports leagues have made progress in the last few years, adding, "Federal legislation in this area is not necessary for the NBA. Nor do I believe that a uniform, federally mandated approach to drug testing for all sports leagues would be appropriate."

Meanwhile the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform has asked the Justice Department to look into whether baseball pitcher Roger Clemens committed perjury when he testified under oath that he never used steroids during his career.