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- Extreme heat is hitting the west coast as experts see increased wildfire potential for the region.
- Biden met with western governors to tout his infrastructure plan as a remedy to the climate crisis.
- "We gotta make lemonades out of lemons here," he told lawmakers about climate change.
- See more stories on Insider's business page.
Extreme heat is hitting the west coast just as wildfire season is approaching, and experts predict above-normal fire potential for much of the region, which could have devastating impacts.
The record heat wave has melted power cables in Portland and hospitals in the west are seeing an influx of patients due to heat, prompting President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to meet with western governors to discuss best methods for wildfire preparation and prevention.
Biden said his bipartisan infrastructure deal could be part of the solution.
"We gotta make lemonades out of lemons here," Biden said during a Wednesday roundtable with Western governors. "We have a chance to do something that not only deals with the problem today, but allows us to be in a position to move forward – and create real good jobs, by the way, generate economic growth."
Last week, Biden reached an agreement with a bipartisan group of senators on a near $1 trillion infrastructure proposal, including $579 billion in new spending largely focused on rebuilding physical infrastructure. But as Biden noted during the roundtable, the plan also includes $50 billion to build resilience to extreme weather events, like wildfires, along with increasing firefighter pay to $15 an hour to ensure they are "fairly paid for the grueling work they are willing to take on," according to a White House fact sheet.
Although Biden is promoting the bipartisan deal as a climate remedy, Democratic lawmakers have criticized the plan for cutting many climate-related elements out of the president's initial proposal. For example, as Insider previously reported, $213 billion for affordable, green housing was cut from the plan, along with $35 billion in climate research.
That's why many Democrats are calling for the bipartisan deal to be passed alongside a reconciliation bill that would include the care-economy measures cut, like affordable housing and free community college, along with substantial climate-related measures.
"I've said all along: no climate, no deal," Democratic Sen. Ed Markey wrote on Twitter last week. "The bipartisan framework doesn't get us there. So I agree with our leadership that this must be resolved in reconciliation. Until then, I'm still no climate, no deal - let's get this done."
The White House's domestic climate adviser, Gina McCarthy, said during a forum held by Punchbowl News on Wednesday that the reconciliation bill should include robust climate investments, saying that they "do have some bottom lines in this."
A memo written by McCarthy and White House senior adviser Anita Dunn said that Biden remains committed to "using all the tools at his disposal" to fight the climate crisis.
They wrote: "As we work to pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework, we will also continue to advance the full suite of proposals in the American Jobs Plan and American Families Plan through additional congressional action, including budget reconciliation, to ensure we build back our economy and country better."