President Joe Biden referred to critics of climate change concerns as "Neanderthals" during a press conference.
Biden made his remarks while speaking in Brownsville, Texas during his visit to the state's southern border on Thursday. During the press conference, the president linked recent wildfires in Texas and Oklahoma to climate change.
"The idea that there's no such thing as climate change," Biden said. "I love that, man."
"I love some of my Neanderthal friends who still think there's no climate change," he added.
During his visit to Brownsville, Biden called for Republicans to throw support behind the recent Senate border agreement that had bipartisan support, though was contested as not strong enough in combatting illegal immigration.
"Folks, the bipartisan border security bill is a win for the American people and a win for the people of Texas, and it's fair for those who legitimately have a right to come here," Biden said.
The president said the bill included "the toughest set of border security reforms we've ever seen."
"The U.S. Senate need to reconsider this bill and those senators who oppose it need to set politics aside and pass it on the merits, not on whether it's going to benefit one party or another party," he continued, urging Speaker of the House Mike Johnson to bring the bill to the House floor for a vote.
Biden also noted former President Donald Trump was speaking in the state on Thursday in Eagle Pass and encouraged him to throw support behind the Senate border bill.
"I understand my predecessor is in Eagle Pass today — here’s what I would say to Mr. Trump," Biden said. "Join me, or I'll join you in telling the Congress to pass this bipartisan border security bill. We can do it together."
House Republicans, including Majority Whip Tom Emmer, have criticized the bill's necessity and noted Biden's administration currently has authority to alleviate the border crisis.
"You're going to make it law now that he can let in up to 5,000 a day before it becomes a shutdown situation? Outrageous," Emmer said. "And the fact that anybody even reports it as an option, I think is less than responsible."
"You’ve got to do something in the five areas that the House has already addressed, but the bare minimum is to restore Remain in Mexico," he added.
South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott also criticized Biden's remarks as a "half-hearted attempt to pay lip service to the crisis his policies have created."
"President Biden can fix this crisis, and I hope his visit is the wakeup call he needs to use the authority he already has to build the border wall, reinstate Title 42, and end catch-and-release, so that we can finally secure our border, uphold our national security, and keep Americans safe," he said, echoing Emmer's sentiment.
