Tony Grubesek

The program is called Essential Air Service.

And for decades, it's given subsidies to airlines to fly in small rural places nationwide.

But it's criticized for being costly and inefficient.

sometimes flying empty airplanes.

So the Trump administration wants to cut its roughly $700 million budget by more than half.

These flights are popular, though, with residents of remote areas and their members of Congress.

Public policy professor Tony Grubesek of UC Riverside studies the program.

As a result, the program has historically been immune from cuts.

Sasha Pfeiffer, NPR News.