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[nez]

This may have been seen by many but just in case I thought I would post it anyway. I think the fact that "the Big Three" from the automaking industry, having a meeting with the President, "in the hopes the visits would build support in Congress on issues including energy policies. I for one, find this a source of further encouragement for increasing availibility of Ethanol at the pump with concurrent. Nez

Leaders of Big 3 automakers meeting on Capitol Hill

Ken Thomas / Associated Press

May 18, 2006

WASHINGTON -- Leaders of the Big Three U.S. automakers hoped visits to Capitol Hill on Thursday would build support in Congress on issues including energy policies, health care and competitiveness.

General Motors Corp. Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner, Ford Motor Co. Chairman and Chief Executive Bill Ford, and Tom LaSorda, president and CEO of DaimlerChrysler AG's Chrysler Group, were holding a series of closed-door meetings with congressional leaders.

Auto industry officials said the meetings would center on energy issues such as making ethanol fuels more widely available, the industry's challenges in meeting rising health care costs, trade issues and the need for more alternative fuel vehicles.

Domestic automakers have ramped up production of flexible fuel vehicles, capable of running on gasoline and fuel blends of up to 85 percent ethanol. But one of the obstacles is finding pumps that offer ethanol -- industry officials estimate that about 685 of the 165,000 fueling stations across the country offer ethanol blends, less than 1 percent of the stations.

The auto executives plan to meet in June with President Bush to talk about issues affecting the industry. A White House meeting tentatively planned for Thursday was postponed because Bush is traveling to Arizona to discuss border security and immigration.

With some consumers paying $3 and beyond for a gallon of gasoline, Bush has sought an increase in the availability of ethanol and alternative fuels, more research for hybrid vehicle batteries and elimination of the cap on tax credits for the purchase of hybrids.

The Bush administration has also asked Congress to give it the authority to change fuel economy rules for passenger cars, a move that could lead to higher gas mileage requirements. The measure is expected to reach the House floor in the coming weeks.

The meeting comes at a challenging time for the domestic automakers. GM and Ford are executing major restructuring plans that would cut a combined 60,000 jobs and close more than two dozen plants by 2012. GM, meanwhile, has stockpiled parts in case workers at auto supplier Delphi Corp. go on strike.

Delphi, GM's former parts division and largest supplier, has asked a judge for permission to cancel its labor contracts. The United Auto Workers and other unions have threatened to strike if those contracts are thrown out.

U.S. automakers have stressed that they do not want a federal bailout, similar to the move by Congress in 1979 to rescue the former Chrysler Corp. Supporters of the U.S. auto industry in Congress say the industry faces many competitive disadvantages against foreign manufacturers, such as Toyota Motor Corp., on issues such as trade and health care.