Ryan: No spending bills without broader budget plan

WASHINGTON (AP) — Top GOP lawmakers have promised increased spending for veterans’ programs and National Guard construction projects. But House Speaker Paul Ryan says such proposals aren’t going anywhere without a broader agreement among Republicans over the budget.

House Republicans remain divided over next year’s budget, with the party’s most ardent conservatives refusing to back higher spending levels promised by last year’s bipartisan budget agreement with President Barack Obama. That leaves Ryan short of the votes he needs to pass a budget blueprint that reaffirms the agreement.

The higher spending in the $82 billion veterans and military construction spending bill released by the Appropriations Committee on Tuesday is made possible by last year’s budget pact. That eased strict “caps” on the $1.1 trillion portion of the federal budget passed yearly by Congress.