Washington ? President Bush will propose boosting overall spending for federal agencies next year by 4 percent, less than half the growth expected this year, the White House budget director said Tuesday.

The figure seemed to presage a battle over the coming months between Bush and congressional Democrats — and perhaps some Republicans — over whether his proposed increases for security at home and the wide range of other domestic programs are sufficient.

Budget chief Mitchell Daniels provided few details, saying only that domestic security programs would get the largest increases in the budget Bush releases next month, followed by defense and finally by agencies covering the rest of government. Domestic priorities will include veterans and education, he said.

Though the government’s current budget year began last Oct. 1, Congress has yet to complete 11 of the 13 spending bills that finance federal agencies. The stalemate has arisen because Democrats and some Republicans have felt that Bush shortchanged homeland security, education and a host of other domestic programs. The president has sought to hold the line on spending at a time when massive federal deficits have returned.

Along with Bush, majority Republicans in the House and Senate had hoped to limit the 13 bills — including two covering the Pentagon — to $750 billion this year, or 9 percent more than 2002. But Congress is still working on those spending bills, and the total has already risen to $755 billion.

Daniels said Bush would propose increasing the $750 billion by 4 percent, or just over $30 billion, in his next budget.