Mayor Rahm Emanuel said Thursday if called he would appear before a House panel investigating a White House loan to Solyndra, the failed solar company.

Despite what Emanuel said, any decision about congressional testimony would be made by the Obama White House, where Emanuel served as White House chief of staff.

"Listen, if I'm called I will testify," Emanuel said. Emanuel made his comments at a press conference called on an unrelated matter.

Emanuel said, "I spend my time thinking about job creation, I spend my time thinking about how to make our streets safe. I don't spend my time thinking about what happened maybe two years ago," Sun-Times City Hall Reporter Fran Spielman reported.

Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas), a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, told Texas radio station WBAP Tuesday Emanuel would "probably" be called, though that was not confirmed by the GOP-led panel.

"Details for future hearings - including the range of potential witnesses - will be announced when they are available," the Associated Press was told in a statement issued by the Republican committee leadership after AP asked about Emanuel.

White House e-mails on the Solyndra loan suggested some involvement by the chief of staff's office. Emanuel told Chicago reporters earlier, "I don't actually remember that or know about it."