WASHINGTON, July 17 (Reuters) - The U.S. auto safety

agency is shedding more than 25% of its employees under

financial incentive programs to depart the government offered by

the Trump administration, according to data provided to Congress

seen by Reuters.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, part of

the Transportation Department, is shrinking from 772 employees

as of May 31 to 555 under the program. The Federal Highway

Administration and Federal Transit Agency are also both losing

more than 25% of their staff.

Representative Rick Larsen, top Democrat on the House

Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, expressed concerns

about the cuts, questioning how USDOT can "expedite project

delivery and advance safety with a decimated workforce."

(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama )