Social welfare to be spared in tax cuts

US President Donald Trump’s first budget proposal will spare big social welfare programmes such as Social Security and Medicare from any cuts, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin says. Mnuchin said on Sunday that Trump would also use a major policy speech to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night to preview some elements of his sweeping plans to cut taxes for the middle class, simplify the tax system and make American companies more globally competitive with lower rates and changes to encourage US manufacturing.