President Obama announced plans to buy 17,600 American-made, fuel-efficient cars and hybrids for the government fleet, in an effort to salvage flailing U.S. automakers and promote environmentally friendly cars.

Obama plans to spend $285 million in stimulus funds by June 1 to buy fuel-efficient vehicles from the big three: GM, Ford and Chrysler. The purchase is slated to include 2,500 hybrid sedans, the largest one-time purchase of hybrid vehicles to date for the federal fleet.

“This is only a first step, but I will continue to ensure that we are working to support the American auto industry during this difficult period of restructuring,” Obama said in a statement.

The Obama administration said that the initive will reduce the government’s gasoline consumption by 1.3 million gallons a year and relieve the atmosphere of 26 million pounds of carbon-dioxide gasoline vehicles would otherwise release.