“It’s all about accountability and viability,” Ms. Pelosi said. “Until we can see a plan where the auto industry is held accountable and a plan for viability on how they go into the future  until we see the plan, until they show us the plan, we cannot show them the money.”

Image The House speaker, Nancy Pelosi of California, and Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, right, discussed the automakers bailout on Thursday. At center, Senator Charles Schumer of New York. Credit... Mark Wilson/Getty Images

Ms. Pelosi and Mr. Reid called their news conference to pre-empt a bipartisan plan offered by senators from the states with big stakes in the auto industry, including Senator Christopher S. Bond, Republican of Missouri, and Senator Carl Levin, Democrat of Michigan. Those senators proposed speeding up access to $25 billion in loans for the automakers that have already been approved by Congress by easing restrictions on that money.

The Congressional leaders said the Bond-Levin plan could not win passage this week. Instead, they said, the House and Senate will hold hearings the week of Dec. 2 to consider plans put forward by the industry.

If the plans pass muster, they said that they were prepared to call Congress back in session to consider legislation the following week. The hearings will be run by Barney Frank, Democrat of Massachusetts and chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, and Senator Christopher J. Dodd, Democrat of Connecticut, the chairman of the banking committee.

“Unfortunately, the sad reality is that no one has come up with a plan that can pass the House and the Senate and be signed by President Bush,” Mr. Reid said. “The executives of the auto companies have not been able to convince Congress or the American people that this government bailout will be its last.”