US president-elect Barack Obama Thursday called on Congress to prevent a collapse of the country's automotive industry, but Senate Republicans were almost certain to block a legislative deal, according to the dpa. The House of Representatives approved a 14-billion-dollar emergency loan for the car industry Wednesday night, a move that would keep General Motors Corp and Chrysler LLC out of bankruptcy at least for the coming few months. Obama, speaking at a Chicago press conference, said the automotive bail-out was vital for the US economy and urged the Senate to follow suit. "At this moment of great challenge for our economy, we cannot simply stand by and watch this industry collapse," said Obama, who has not taken an active role in the congressional negotiations.
