NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Detroit automakers could get federal loan guarantees to speed the development of more fuel-efficient vehicles under legislation due to be introduced this week, according to a published report.

The Detroit News reported Wednesday that Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., will introduce the bill to give domestic automakers cheaper access to capital and spur faster development of technologies such as hybrid engines, ethanol-powered vehicles and cleaner diesel engines. Rogers told the newspaper that the bill would not be a bailout of the troubled automakers.

"This isn't a free pass for them to avoid painful decisions or restructuring," Rogers told the paper. "This is a chance for the automakers to compete on a fair playing field with access to the credit markets."

General Motors (Charts) and Ford Motor (Charts) have been hurt by credit ratings with junk bond status, raising their cost of borrowing. Ford's credit ratings were cut further Tuesday by two of the major rating agencies.

Standard & Poor's lowered Ford's ratings one notch to "B," five steps into junk bond status, while Moody's cut Ford's corporate family and senior unsecured rating one level to "B3," six notches into junk status, while it lowed Ford Motor Credit's senior unsecured rating to "B1," four notches below investment grade.

Both companies cited the difficulty of Ford's latest restructuring plan announced Friday, along with its statement that its North American auto operations would not return to profitability before 2009.

In addition, DaimlerChrysler (Charts) announced deep second-half production cuts for its Chrysler unit, after its own warning Friday of losses at the unit in the third quarter.

The News reports that the three automakers were receptive to Rep. Rogers' proposal, welcoming the support that could possibly save them hundreds of millions of dollars in borrowing costs.

"We find it encouraging that there is support from Congress to accelerate green technology," Ford spokesman Mike Moran told the paper.

The big three have trailed Japanese automakers Toyota Motor (Charts) and Honda Motor (Charts) in the development and introduction of hybrid gas and electric cars. They have made a bigger push than the Japanese automakers on so-called "flex fuel" vehicles that can run on either gasoline or an 85-percent ethanol fuel made from renewable sources such as corn or sugar.

The automakers are also working to develop new diesel technology that will meet tougher U.S. emission standards that are taking effect.

In a separate report, the Detroit News said that Ford will offer its salaried staff three different buyout packages that are more generous than similar offers in recent years as it moves to cut an additional 10,000 non-union workers.

The new salaried staff cut target was announced Friday as part of the Ford restructuring plans, along with offers to all 75,000 of the United Auto Workers union member at the company to get them to retire or leave the company.

The incentives to the union workers can pay as much as $140,000 to a worker if they leave and give up some promised benefits, such as health care coverage, during their retirement.

The News reports that the company will add three years to an employee's age and three years to their length of service for managers for the purpose of pension calculations and make additional adjustments that will translate into higher pension payments.

Those salaried staff not eligible for retirement will receive between three and 13 months of severance pay if they voluntarily leave the company. Those offers are to be be made this fall and early winter, according to the paper.

The paper said that after the voluntary departures, it will begin involuntary layoffs to meet the salaried staff cut target. Employees who are laid off could see one to 12 months severance pay, depending on tenure, if they waive their rights to sue their former employer.

Those that refuse to sign these waivers would receive no more than one month of severance pay.

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