WASHINGTON -- Ford Motor Co. Chairman Bill Ford said late Tuesday that industry leaders and their allies in Congress are winning the argument that Wall Street turmoil should not interfere with government loans for automakers and suppliers.

"People see this as a very separable issue," Ford said, emerging from a meeting at the Capitol with lawmakers from as many as seven states where Ford has plants.

Still, Rep. Candice Miller, R-Mich., an organizer of the meeting, said that some lawmakers still have questions about the loan request -- aggravated by the upheaval among major financial institutions over the past days and weeks.

Some analysts have suggested that the government's decision to let financial giant Lehman Brothers go into bankruptcy was a sign that officials are drawing the line on federal intervention in the markets.

But Miller contended that the large bipartisan group of lawmakers who favor the loans is making headway with colleagues and she is "cautiously optimistic" that funding will be approved this month.

Ford was joined at the Capitol by Mark Fields, president for the Americas; Joe Hinrichs, group vice president for manufacturing; and by at least a half dozen top company lobbyists and public relations people.

Detroit 3 combines efforts

General Motors and Chrysler LLC, as well as a number of suppliers, also are sending waves of executives and lobbyists to Capitol Hill in an intense effort to get loan funding before the month is over.

Earlier, during a GM 100th anniversary celebration in Detroit, company CEO Rick Wagoner argued that Wall Street troubles should not create a new roadblock to loans.

Congress and the White House authorized up to $25 billion in loans in an energy law enacted last December, but funding must still be approved to unleash the money.

Nearly everyone was operating on the assumption that $3.75 billion is needed, but the Congressional Budget Office, which advises lawmakers on taxing and spending, suggested late last week that $7.5 billion may be needed.

Miller said she believes the new estimate is too high.

Loans are supposed to be used for projects that help automakers and suppliers produce more fuel-efficient vehicles.

"The financial markets have worsened so much since the energy security act was passed last year, that providing the loans would seem to be the appropriate and fair thing to do right now," Wagoner told reporters at the celebration.

Wagoner had just unveiled the production Chevrolet Volt, a plug-in electric car that GM intends to begin selling in late 2010.

Later he headed to the nation's capital to deliver a speech on GM's 100th anniversary to the Washington Economic Club.

Seeking control of energy future

A mostly upbeat assessment of where the company stands after a century, Wagoner's prepared remarks repeated his call for government to play a bigger role in helping the country take control of its energy future.

Earlier in Detroit, he said that under last year's energy bill, "a relatively small fraction of the investment the industry will have to make to achieve these (fuel economy) improvements was to be provided for by direct loans.

"We're just asking for those loans now and that the rules and procedures to be able to draw against those loans be finalized promptly."

The turmoil in the financial markets, including Monday's collapse of Lehman Brothers, likely will put further strain on the already struggling auto industry, Wagoner and other GM leaders said Tuesday.

"I can't really say at this point that I've seen specific ramifications from yesterday's actions, but we have to watch that closely," Wagoner said. "It's added to the mix, making it tougher for consumers that want to get into a new vehicle to do so right now."