Obama made the plug during a meeting Friday with his Economic Recovery Advisory Board, which includes the heads of General Electric, Caterpillar and Oracle, along with labor leaders and economists.

He told the group the climate bill - which would cap global warming emissions - is good for business and that members of Congress need to hear that.

"Individual members of Congress may be worried about the implications, at least short term," of voting for the legislation, and hearing from businesses would be reassuring, Obama said.

"The more business can be out front" the better, he said.

The House last year narrowly passed controversial legislation creating a system to cap global warming emissions and auction allowances to polluters. The cap-and-trade approach was slammed by Republicans and many business groups as a hidden energy tax and some House Democrats came to regret supporting the bill as it became clear the approach was unlikely to pass in the Senate.

Instead, a bill sponsored by Sens. John Kerry, D-Mass., Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., would apply different carbon controls to different sectors of the economy, without a broad cap-and-trade approach. It aims to cut emissions of pollution-causing greenhouse gases 17 percent below 2005 levels by 2020. It also likely will expand domestic production of oil, natural gas and nuclear power.

The lawmakers are expected to release the long-delayed climate bill on April 26, four days after Earth Day. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., has said he will then take over leadership of the bill as supporters struggle to find 60 votes needed to pass it.