Former Secretary of State John Kerry John Forbes KerryThe Memo: Warning signs flash for Trump on debates Divided country, divided church TV ads favored Biden 2-1 in past month MORE defended freshman Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Alexandria Ocasio-CortezHouse passes bill to avert shutdown Trump attacks Omar for criticizing US: 'How did you do where you came from?' The Memo: Dems face balancing act on SCOTUS fight MORE (D-N.Y.) on Tuesday for offering "more leadership in one day or one week than President Trump Donald John TrumpOmar fires back at Trump over rally remarks: 'This is my country' Pelosi: Trump hurrying to fill SCOTUS seat so he can repeal ObamaCare Trump mocks Biden appearance, mask use ahead of first debate MORE has in his lifetime" on climate change.

ICYMI: @JohnKerry praises Rep @AOC efforts to combat #climatechange as opposed to #PresidentTrump who refuses to lead on this issue. “Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez has in fact offered more leadership in one day or in one week than #PresidentTrump has in his lifetime on this. " pic.twitter.com/iQEtLpHZWA — Oversight Committee (@OversightDems) April 9, 2019

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The House Oversight and Reform Committee meeting where Kerry testified was meant to address the intersection of climate change and national security, but several Republicans on the committee used their opening remarks to critique Ocasio-Cortez’s (D-N.Y.) Green New Deal plan to tackle climate change.

Kerry also criticized Republicans for a failure to offer up a proposal of their own.

"There are a lot of proposals, but none of them are coming from your party or your side of the aisle," Kerry told Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.), who had pushed Kerry to explain how the nation would pay for the Green New Deal.

Kerry came under a fair amount of criticism himself, with Rep. Thomas Massie Thomas Harold MassieGOP lawmaker praises Kyle Rittenhouse's 'restraint' for not emptying magazine during shooting Rep. Dan Meuser tests positive for COVID-19 Liz Cheney wins Wyoming GOP primary in reelection bid MORE (R-Ky.) calling Kerry a “pseudo scientist” in reference to his political science degree.

“Mr. Chairman, this is just not a serious conversation," Kerry said in response to the exchange.

Ocasio-Cortez responded on Twitter, saying she was "honored and humbled" by Kerry's remark.

--Updated 12:41 p.m.