HOUSTON — Roger Clemens' defamation lawsuit against former trainer Brian McNamee has been moved to federal court.

Clemens filed suit last month in Harris County District Court in Houston, but McNamee's attorneys had it moved Monday to U.S. District Court in Houston. In their motion, McNamee's attorneys wrote the court has jurisdiction because the case is between residents of two states and that Clemens will likely seek more than $75,000 in damages — two criteria needed for such a transfer.

An initial pretrial conference is set for April 4.

In the Mitchell Report, McNamee claimed he injected Clemens with steroids and human growth hormone at least 16 times in 1998, 2000 and 2001. The seven-time Cy Young Award winner claimed in his suit that the statements McNamee made were "untrue and defamatory."

McNamee's attorneys have not filed their response to Clemens' suit.

Clemens and McNamee were set to testify Wednesday before a congressional hearing on the Mitchell Report, which made McNamee's allegations public.