Four U.S. governors form bipartisan autos caucus

Aug 8 (Reuters) - Governors from four U.S. states with large automotive plants have formed a bipartisan group to serve as a forum for issues that affect the auto industry that they hope will expand to include more states, the governors announced on Wednesday.

The founding governors of the "National Governors Auto Caucus" are Republicans Rick Snyder of Michigan and Bill Haslam of Tennessee and Democrats Pat Quinn of Illinois and Jay Nixon of Missouri.

Snyder, speaking at the Center for Automotive Research conference in Traverse City, Michigan, said the group will work first on issues related to the auto industry that they agree on and then tackle more divisive issues.

Snyder suggested that working toward a national energy policy could be something the group of governors could work toward. Such a national policy, he said, is needed for states to respond to the sometimes competing issues dealing with energy and environmental protection.

Snyder said the group will work on issues for which they have common interest, including developing a skilled work force and automobile safety.

Snyder said he hopes that the group will expand to include Midwestern and Southern states with auto assembly plants where governors have common interests related to the automotive industry.