House committee keeps gasoline-rationing bill alive

On a 22-to-20 vote Tuesday, the House Commerce Committee rejected a move to kill authorization for President Carter's standby gasoline-rationing plan. Congress has until Wednesday to disapprove the plan or presidential authorization for any future emergency rationing would go into effect. The measure would be used only if there were a 20 percent shortfall in petroleum supplies to the United States for at least 30 days.