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| By Patricia Wilson
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President George W. Bush, his popularity sinking while gas prices soar, hopes to stave off a potential election-year problem for fellow Republicans with a drive to stop price gouging and push alternative fuels. Ahead of a Bush energy speech, the White House released a letter in which the federal government urged state attorneys general to vigorously enforce laws against price gouging that may have contributed to rising gasoline prices. "Working together, the federal government and the states can ensure that we address swiftly and appropriately any unlawful conduct resulting in artificial price spikes," said the letter, written by Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and Deborah Platt Majoras, chair of the Federal Trade Commission. With oil prices hitting record highs and gas topping $3 a gallon at some pumps, Democrats hoping to win control of Congress in November have used the issue to slam White House energy policy and Republicans' ties to big oil companies. Bush's public approval rating has fallen to 32 percent, a new low for his presidency, according to a CNN poll released on Monday. Sixty percent of Americans said they disapproved of the way Bush was handling his job, the poll showed. In a 10:05 a.m. EDT (1405 GMT) speech, the president will push a four-part plan to ensure fair treatment for motorists, promote fuel efficiency and alternative fuels, and boost U.S. gas supply, his spokesman said. He might also suspend environmental regulations that are forcing consumers to buy expensive new gasoline blends with low sulfur levels, an idea discussed by Republican lawmakers and Bush administration aides on Monday. In addition, it was possible he would extend the time that oil companies have to pay back petroleum loaned from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve during the Hurricane Katrina shortages last fall. 'AN ADDITIONAL TAX' "We have a strong economy, but high gas prices are like an additional tax on families that are trying to live within a budget," spokesman Scott McClellan said. "It puts a strain on working families, farmers and small businesses." Bush will call on energy companies to reinvest their profits into expanding refining capacity, developing new technologies and researching alternative energy sources.
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