Congress has a knack for being outraged about the wrong things.

Consider baseball player Rafael Palmeiro. In March, Palmeiro testified before a congressional committee that “I have never used steroids. Period.” This week, the results of a drug test from Palmeiro became public. According to the Associated Press, the Baltimore Orioles player tested positive for stanozolol, a powerful steroid. He received a 10-day suspension from the game.

Now, a House committee will investigate whether Palmeiro perjured himself.

Steroids are dangerous. They can be used to enhance the performance of athletes and help them recover more quickly from injuries. Using the banned substances is a form of cheating, more insidious than corking a bat or throwing a spitball. Drug use sets a bad example for young fans and cheapens the game.

But of all the injustices in the world, Congress continues its fixation with baseball.

Instead of investigating Palmeiro’s testimony, Congress could better spend its time looking at the way intelligence information was used for political purposes in the run-up to the war in Iraq. Or how U.S. policy encouraged the mistreatment, torture and murder of foreign detainees. Or how a cabal of lobbyists and members of Congress conspired to milk money from Native Americans trying to protect their gambling enterprise. Or the military’s failure to properly equip soldiers in the field. Or any number of other serious issues.

We don’t know if Palmeiro lied to Congress. And we believe that perjury before the House of Representatives is serious. Palmeiro deserves the scrutiny. But how can this play out?

Virginia Rep. Tom Davis told the AP, “If we did nothing, I think we’d look like idiots.” It’s too late to worry about that.