Frank, Waters seek subpoena for HUD

Reps. Barney Frank and Maxine Waters, ranking Democratic members respectively of the House Financial Services Committee and its housing subcommittee, are calling on subcommittee members to issue a subpoena to HUD for testimony about its response to Hurricane Katrina. HUD officials chose not to appear when called to a hearing specifically on the Katrina housing response.

FEMA did send David Garratt, the acting director of its recovery division, to testify before the housing subcommittee today. His prepared testimony is already posted.

[MORE: The Post-Intelligencer says FEMA came in for some pretty strong criticism too, and it provides some explanation on the HUD absence: "HUD spokesman Jerry Brown said Jackson asked subcommittee chairman Bob Ney, R-Ohio, for a separate hearing. Ney hinted that the panel might subpoena Jackson."]
[FURTHER: Here's the Times-Picayune writeup of the hearing.]