White House says will veto U.S. House energy bill

WASHINGTON, Dec 6 (Reuters) - The White House said on Thursday it would veto a House energy bill that would require the first congressionally-mandated increase in U.S. car and truck fuel efficiency standards in over three decades.

The legislation, which the House of Representatives was set to vote on later on Thursday, would increase vehicle fuel efficiency by 40 percent to 35 miles per gallon (6.72 liters per 100 km) by 2020.

The bill, which may be taken up the Senate next week, would also increase the use of renewable motor fuels, like ethanol, and require electric utilities to generate more power from renewable sources like solar energy and wind.

The White House said it opposes the electricity standard and other provisions of the bill that would impose billions of dollars in taxes on big oil and natural gas companies.

If Congress passed the bill in its current form and presented it to President George W. Bush for his signature, "his senior advisors would recommend that he veto the bill," the White House Office of Management and Budget said in a statement.

The OMB said removing tax breaks for oil and natural gas companies to pay for some the energy bill's programs was "using the federal tax code to single out specific industries for punitive treatment." (Reporting by Tom Doggett; Editing by Marguerita Choy)