President Obama met with top financial executives at the White House Monday in what he called an effort to encourage lending to struggling Americans. Obama said he asked for more loans to small businesses and homeowners and support for a congressional overhaul of financial regulation.

President Obama: “Given the difficulty businesspeople are having as lending has declined, and given the exceptional assistance banks received to get them through a difficult time, we expect them to explore every responsible way to help get our economy moving again. If they wish to fight commonsense consumer protections, that’s a fight I’m more than willing to have.”

Obama’s call comes as a number of bailed-out firms continue to repay their taxpayer loans. On Monday, Citibank and Wells Fargo said they are moving ahead with repayments, which would help them reject government demands. In what some called an illustration of the government’s weakened position, the CEOs of the three largest bailed out firms — Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and Citigroup — did not attend the meeting. They had waited until Monday to travel to Washington, but weather problems delayed their planes.