U.S. Rep. Paul Kanjorski, D-Pa., Thursday called a hearing for next week to assess the current state of Fannie Mae (FNM) and Freddie Mac (FRE) and to begin debate over how they will be structured in the future.

Kanjorski, the chairman of the House Financial Services subcommittee on capital markets, in a statement said the government-controlled mortgage finance companies were "extremely important to institutions in our nation's housing finance system."

He said lawmakers must ensure that taxpayer funds allocated to prop up the companies are being used effectively. Kanjorski also said Congress should begin the "long-term debate" about how the companies will be structured after the economy is stabilized.

The government seized Fannie and Freddie last September after soaring losses at the companies had fueled concerns they would collapse. The Treasury Department has since pumped a combined $85 billion into the companies to keep them solvent.

The hearing is scheduled for June 3. -Jessica Holzer, Dow Jones Newswires; 202-862-9228; jessica.holzer@dowjones.com