WASHINGTON — Congress wants to be prepared when Roger Clemens and his former trainer, Brian McNamee, head to Capitol Hill. The House hearing involving Clemens, McNamee, and Andy Pettitte was postponed yesterday to February 13 from January 16, giving lawmakers more time to gather evidence, to take depositions from the witnesses, and to coordinate their investigation with the Justice Department.

The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform was to begin meeting with lawyers for the witnesses Thursday. Clemens’s attorney, Rusty Hardin, said he hopes to meet with committee staffers next week. In addition, McNamee is to meet with federal prosecutors today in New York. “Roger hasn’t done anything,” Hardin said. “The federal government looking at Roger is fine with me.”

Plans are still in place for the January 15 hearing before the same committee about the Mitchell Report on baseball’s Steroids Era. The witnesses that day will be commissioner Bud Selig, union leader Donald Fehr, and former Senate majority leader George Mitchell, the report’s author.

Questioned by federal prosecutors last year, McNamee said he injected Clemens with steroids and human growth hormone in 1998, 2000, and 2001.

A lawyer for McNamee said yesterday his client wants immunity from the House committee. Hardin said Clemens will not request immunity.

McNamee will meet with the BALCO prosecutors who are in the area for former track star Marion Jones’ sentencing Friday. Jones pleaded guilty to lying to investigators about steroid use and a check-fraud scheme.

“They want to talk to him while they’re in town,” said Earl Ward, McNamee’s primary lawyer.

Does this mean prosecutors are now turning their attention to Clemens?

“Nothing like that,” Ward said. “They just wanted grab a cup coffee, that’s all. It’s just an informal, quick meeting.”