Countrywide chief executive, Angelo Mozilo, was encouraged by a top U.S. lawmaker today to donate a portion of its $150 million in recent earnings to nonprofit groups that are trying to help subprime mortgage borrowers that were coerced into loans that they simply could not afford.

The solicitation was made by House Financial Services Chairman Barney Frank, who is also known for spearheading investigations into executive compensation and credit card companies. The chairman also noted that the proposed $4 billion acquisition of Countrywide could be a “positive development” in the subprime mortgage crisis.