Bush to meet with top automakers

President Bush will meet with executives of the major U.S. automakers at the White House on Monday as he tries to build momentum for his energy plan.

The session will focus on Bush's support for flex-fuel vehicles, which are capable of using gasoline and ethanol-gasoline blends, and on his goal of reducing gas consumption by 20 percent over 10 years, spokesman Tony Fratto said.

The auto executives are General Motors Corp. Chairman and Chief Executive Rick Wagoner, Ford Motor Co. CEO Alan Mulally and DaimlerChrysler AG's Chrysler Group CEO Tom LaSorda.

Bush last met with them in November, promising continued conversations on trade, health care and other issues. The session scheduled for Monday had been expected, but was not confirmed by the White House until Wednesday.

The president is pushing higher fuel efficiency standards for cars and greater production of alternative fuels. He made his pitch as recently as Tuesday, during stops at a General Motors plant in Kansas City, Kan., and a Ford plant in Claycomo, Mo.