According to Karen Lightfoot, subcommittee chairperson of the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer protection, the committee will conduct thorough investigations on November 3, 2009.
Members of the NFL Players Association and executives from the league will be attending the investigations to testify, while the two Vikings players are not yet confirmed if they will be called in as witnesses.
The Williamses were suspended from four games after testing positive for bumetanide in 2008. They were not aware that the weight loss supplement StarCaps contained the said diuretic substance. NFL prohibited bumetanide because it can mask the presence of steroids, although it was clear that the two players were not accused of taking any steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs.
After NFL decided to suspend the two players, they filed charges against the league, accusing them of violating a Minnesota law by suspending them for testing positive for bumetanide.
They sued NFL in Hennepin County and won a US Court of appeals ruling in September 11, 2009.
From Twin Cities:
Congress has scheduled a hearing next week to scrutinize a controversial Minnesota law allowing Kevin and Pat Williams to fight their suspensions in Hennepin County and thwart the NFL's authority to discipline the Minnesota Vikings Pro Bowl tackles.