U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg recently discussed the proposed cuts by Congressional Republicans on the transportation budget.

Congressional Republicans are seeking to make significant cuts to a range of critical programs that are essential to the everyday lives of the American people, according to an April 26 fact sheet. These programs include funding for transportation safety and infrastructure, which are two of the core components of President Joe Biden's budget.

"I think Americans on all sides agree with us, and disagree with House Republicans, when we insist that cutting railroad safety inspections is a bad idea," Buttigieg said in a May 2 Twitter post.

One of the areas where funding cuts will hit hard is transportation safety, the fact sheet reported. The Republican proposal would lead to nearly 7,500 fewer rail safety inspection days and more than 30,000 fewer miles of track inspected annually. Given the increase in train accidents, particularly the recent Norfolk Southern derailments, bipartisan senators have called for more rail inspections, not fewer.

The proposal would also have an impact on the air travel industry, according to the fact sheet. If approved, it would shut down services at 375 federally-staffed air traffic control towers across the country, which could undermine safety at one-third of all U.S. airports. 

Additionally, it would increase wait times at TSA security checkpoints by more than two hours at large airports across the country, the fact sheet reported. 

The Republican's proposed cuts would also decrease funding designated for critical transportation programs, according to the fact sheet. Withholding this transportation infrastructure funding would cost the country to lose approximately $5.2 billion in funding for transit and highway infrastructure projects in the U.S.

The Republicans' proposal would cut a broad range of critical transportation safety and infrastructure programs include in Biden's budget by 22%, the fact sheet noted.