Washington ? The Senate rejected a proposal to require a sharp increase in automobile fuel economy Tuesday after concerns were raised that it would lead to a loss of auto industry jobs and limit consumer’s ability to buy larger cars and SUVs.

By a 65-32 vote, the Senate turned back a proposal offered by Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., that would have required automakers to produce a fleet average of 40 miles per gallon by 2015, a dramatic increase from the current 27.5 mpg now required.

Instead, senators approved by a 66-30 vote an industry-supported measure that turned the issue over to the Transportation Department, which will be required to take into consideration an array of issues — from job losses and highway safety to economic impact on U.S. auto manufacturers — before any rule change can be made.

This would “create unnecessary hurdles to any significant increases” in fuel economy by the transportation agency, argued Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., and open any future fuel economy decisions to an increasing number of court challenges.

“We are going backwards,” Bingaman said.

The measure, offered by Sens. Kit Bond, R-Mo., and Carl Levin, D-Mich., prescribes no specific, mandated increase in corporate average fuel economy, or CAFE.

This “assures that future standards are based on sound science” rather than “a politically arbitrary figure” that would cause economic harm, Bond argued. “It requires increasing CAFE standards to the maximum extent feasible.”

The debate came as Senate Republicans accused Democrats of not cooperating enough to get the complex, far-reaching energy legislation finished this week before the start of the Senate’s summer recess. President Bush on Tuesday called Republican and Democratic senators to the White House to nudge the legislation along.

Democrats said they were trying to cooperate, but said the time frame was unrealistic given the complex nature of many of the issues — from overhauling federal oversight of the electricity markets to trying to address climate change and finding a balance between energy production and conservation incentives.

Durbin, D-Ill., said the technology was available to make cars and even sport-utility vehicles use substantially less gasoline, but he said opponents were content “to wave a white flag and say we can’t do it” and let foreign automakers develop the technology.

“The technology is there,” he insisted.

Supporters of tougher fuel economy measures said the Senate could not pass a comprehensive energy blueprint for America without doing something about fuel use by passenger vehicles, which burn two of every five barrels of oil used in the country each day.