Issa Hearings to Focus on Bailouts, Foreclosures

Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., is hitting the ground running as he takes over as chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. His first hearing as chairman — “Bailouts and the Foreclosure Crisis: Report of the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program” — is scheduled for Jan. 26, Politico reports.

TARP, of course, is the bank bailout law. Neil Barofsky, TARP’s special inspector general, and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner are invited to testify.

The hearing is the result of an agreement between Issa (pictured) and Ranking Democrat Elijah Cummings to investigate the foreclosure crisis.

Barofsky, appointed by former President George W. Bush, oversees the Home Affordable Mortgage Program. That’s the Obama administration’s attempt to modify troubled mortgages in place of foreclosure.