Biden's Transportation Secretary, Pete Buttigieg, has come under intense scrutiny for his response (or lack thereof) to the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio which was carrying hazardous materials that have impacted the environment and the people who live there. Republicans from the House Oversight and Reform Committee sent a letter to Buttigieg on Friday expressing concerns over the transportation department's handling of the crisis and "slow pace in resolving this matter." In the letter, the lawmakers wrote, “This incident is an environmental and public health emergency that now threatens Americans across state lines. Despite the U.S. Department of Transportation’s responsibility to ensure safe and reliable transport in the United States, you ignored the catastrophe for over a week.” “The American people deserve answers as to what caused the derailment, and DOT needs to provide an explanation for its leadership’s apathy in the face of this emergency,” they said. The Republican lawmakers are determined to get answers and have requested documents from the Transportation Department from when Buttigieg first learned about the derailment, how the National Transportation Safety Board's investigation is progressing regarding the cause of the accident, and documents on how the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration's responded and handled the chemical spill. Buttigieg response via tweet saying the independent National Transportation Safety Board is handling the investigation and doesn't fall under the purview of the Transportation Department. “I am alarmed to learn that the Chair of the House Oversight Committee thinks that the NTSB is part of our Department,” he tweeted, deflecting the criticism, adding “Still, of course, we will fully review this and respond appropriately." Former President Trump visited the train derailment site, bringing the crisis to the forefront of the news and accused the Biden administration of "indifference and betrayal." Of course, rather than accepting any blame, the White House immediately said it was Trump's fault because he loosened regulations on rail and the environment.