Cummings Issues Statement on NFL Players' Vote on Drug Testing Policy

Sep 13, 2014
Press Release

Washington, DC —Today, Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, issued the following statement after the National Football League Players Association voted to approve the NFL drug policy proposal, which includes testing for human growth hormone (HGH) for the 2014 NFL season:

“I applaud the Players Association and NFL for taking a major step in the right direction towards implementing HGH testing for the first time.  Testing for HGH will help prevent injuries on the field and send a clear message to young athletes that HGH will not be tolerated at the game’s highest levels. I encourage the Players Association and the NFL to iron out the remaining details so that HGH testing can begin immediately.”

Ranking Member Cummings has been a longtime advocate for instituting in-season HGH testing.  He and Committee Chairman Darrell Issa have been meeting with Players Association and NFL officials over the past several years in order to help forge an agreement to begin HGH testing.

113th Congress