News In Brief

White House backing bill to raise drinking age to 21

Transportation Secretary Elizabeth H. Dole said yesterday that President Reagan now supports legislation to push states into raising the minimum drinking age to 21.

Mrs. Dole said the administration favors a measure sponsored by Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D) of New Jersey to reduce highway aid to states that do not adopt a minimum age of 21.

''We must raise the drinking age to 21 in all of our states to protect all of our people,'' she told a news conference. The administration's support came six days after the House overwhelmingly approved an identical measure sponsored by Rep. James Howard (D) of New Jersey.