The three trustees, who were appointed in January as overseers of the taxpayers' 79.9 percent interest in the company, are Jill Considine, former chairman of the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation and former superintendent of banks in New York; Chester Feldberg, former chairman of Barclays Americas; and Douglas Foshee, president and chief executive officer of El Paso Corp., in El Paso, Tex.

The Government Accountability Office estimates the government involvement in AIG at $173 billion.

Mr. Liddy was originally asked to testify May 6 in a letter sent last week by Rep. Edolphus Towns, chairman of the Oversight panel.

AIG spokesperson Christina Pretto said "the committee invited Mr. Liddy to appear on May 6, but this conflicted with the company's earnings announcement of May 7th. The committee graciously offered May 13th, and we have accepted."

She declined to comment whether Mr. Liddy was advised he would be subpoenaed if he did not appear voluntarily.

The trustees, when they were asked by representatives of the New York Federal Reserve Bank to monitor AIG on behalf of the government, did not think they would be required to make public appearances, it was learned.

The trustees were selected by the New York Fed, in close consultation with the Treasury Department, to oversee the government's equity interest "in the best interests of the U.S. Treasury."

In his April 22 letter, Rep. Towns asked Mr. Liddy to testify on what caused the downfall of AIG and whether federal financial assistance was the only "thing that could save the company." He also asked what AIG has done with its federal financial assistance.

Mr. Towns also asked Mr. Liddy to be prepared to answer whether AIG will need federal financial assistance beyond that already announced, and report on what AIG is doing to stabilize the company.

In his letters to Ms. Considine, Mr. Feldberg and Mr. Foshee, Rep. Towns asked them to answer questions about the roles and responsibilities of the AIG Trust; what efforts the trustees have undertaken to date in performance of their duties; and whether the U.S. taxpayer investment in AIG is being adequately protected.

According to AIG and government data, the company currently owes the government $80 billion–$40 billion in capital drawn from the Troubled Asset Relief Program, and $40 billion drawn from a $60 billion Fed-funded credit facility.