Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas testified before the House Homeland Security Committee last week about his agency’s 2024 budget proposal . It did not go well.

The hapless Mayorkas was called out in spectacular fashion by GOP committee members who were incensed over the agency’s prioritization of climate change initiatives over the very real fentanyl crisis that is killing 100,000 Americans each year. Specifically, the proposed budget requests $3.9 billion for a "climate resilience program" and a mere $40 million to combat the growing opioid crisis. (The $3.9 billion requested represents an increase of $140 million over the previous fiscal year’s budget.)

Let me do the math for you. The DHS plans to spend a whopping 97.5 times as much money on green initiatives than it does on stopping the flow of fentanyl into the United States. Given that overdoses from synthetic opioids are the leading cause of death among Americans aged 18-45, this pathetic misallocation of taxpayer dollars is simply astounding.

An explanation of the climate resilience program on the DHS website reads as follows: “The DHS Climate Action Plan outlines the steps the Department is taking to tackle the climate crisis, including bolstering the Department’s ability to adapt to climate change, building national resilience, undertaking mitigation measures, and addressing key vulnerabilities. This plan is part of President Biden’s whole-of-government approach to confronting the climate crisis.”

The description, of course, says absolutely nothing. It merely demonstrates how low the bar has become for government agencies to receive taxpayer funds for frivolous projects in the Biden administration. Remember the battle royal over former President Donald Trump’s request for $2.5 billion to fund the border wall?

The plan sounds as if it should be included in Sen. Rand Paul’s “ Festivus Report ,” his annual list of the year’s most wasteful government spending projects.

Needless to say, the Republican members of the committee lambasted the DHS chief over the proposed budget. Rep. Mark Green (R-TN), the committee’s chairman, tore into Mayorkas, telling him, “The administration has proposed spending $3.9 billion of DHS money on a climate resilience program, meanwhile you propose spending a mere $40 million to combat fentanyl that’s devastating our country.”

Mayorkas also reiterated his unfathomable claim that our southern border is secure. Rep. Michael Guest (R-MI) asked , "My question to you, Secretary Mayorkas, is it your testimony that all nine of the southwest sectors from the Rio Grande Valley to San Diego, that under whatever definition you use, that you believe that all nine sectors are secure?"

"It is my testimony that the border is secure, and we are working every day, day and night, to increase its security. The challenges that we are experiencing at the border cannot be overstated," the secretary replied .

In other remarks, Mayorkas took issue with comments made last month by Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz, who told Congress the border is not secure. Rep. August Pfluger (R-TX) asked him, “Do you disagree with our head Border Patrol agent when he said that our border is not secure?

Mayorkas replied, “Congressman, I’ve testified to that issue.”

“So, you do disagree with him? You disagree with your chief of Border Patrol?” Pfluger continued.

“I respectfully do in that regard,” Mayorkas said.

In another clip from the proceedings, Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX) told Mayorkas, “You have failed in your job.”

Rep. Clay Higgins (R-LA) railed at the Cabinet secretary: “We could give you money to hire thousands of new border agents. Nobody wants to work for you.” Pounding his fist on his desk, Higgins said, “We’re done, done, done with your lies to America. It’s shameful what you’ve brought upon our country.”

Fox News reported that the hearing became “very heated, personal at times” and that Democrats on the committee tried to change the subject to topics such as climate change and the Transportation Security Administration. But to no avail. Mayorkas was trying to defend the indefensible.

And it didn’t help that Mayorkas once again lied to lawmakers. In a just world, there would be penalties for perjuring oneself before Congress. But, sadly, we no longer live in a just world.

Elizabeth Stauffer is a contributor to the Washington Examiner, Power Line, the Western Journal, and AFNN and a past contributor to RedState, Newsmax, and Bongino.com . Her articles have appeared on many sites, including RealClearPolitics, MSN, and the Federalist. Please follow Elizabeth on  Twitter  or  LinkedIn .