WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. auto executives warned Congress on Tuesday that their industry was teetering on the brink of disaster as they pleaded for a $25 billion aid package despite political opposition to another multibillion-dollar government bailout.

The hearings come as government and business officials around the globe decide if, and how, they should commit billions of taxpayer dollars to bolster struggling automakers.

Rick Wagoner, the head of General Motors Corp, bluntly told the Senate Banking Committee why the executives were there.

"This is about much more than just Detroit," Wagoner said in his testimony. "It's about saving the U.S. economy from a catastrophic collapse."

The hearings came a day after Senate Democrats proposed to bail out the ailing industry with $25 billion in government-backed loans.

The weakened economy and global credit crisis pushed the U.S.