JEFFERSON CITY — A resolution expressing support for Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and his handling of the crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border prompted pushback Tuesday from a Democrat.

The sponsor of House resolution 4055, Rep. Phil Christofanelli, R-St. Peters, told the House General Laws Committee that the bill was initially filed to encourage Gov. Mike Parson to deploy the National Guard to the border. He recommended, because of Parson’s recent executive order doing just that, the resolution’s language be altered to reflect the current situation before being passed.

“We have seen many of our urban centers across the country completely overwhelmed trying to address this issue from both a humanitarian and criminal justice perspective, and their resources are simply overstretched,” Christofanelli said. “That is a problem that we will face not only in our state, but everywhere. That’s what makes Missouri an interested party.”

The bill’s language specifically claims that “President Joe Biden has violated his oath of office” and “wasted taxpayer dollars to tear open Texas’ border security infrastructure.”

Rep. Keri Ingle, D-Lee’s Summit, asked Christofanelli a heated series of questions. Ingle first criticized the language regarding Biden and pressed Christofanelli on the border wall pushed by the Trump administration, asking how much of it was built then.

Christofanelli responded that the administration “made considerable advancements in the building of the wall despite Democrat obstruction at every step of the way … if your party would like to join with us in committing to secure our Southern border, I think we could probably get it done pretty quick.”

Ingle, in response, then mentioned the border security bill in the U.S. Senate sponsored by Sen. James Lankford, R-Oklahoma, and criticized Republicans for their actions in preventing the bill’s passage.

At one point, Rep. Renee Reuter, R-Imperial, called a point of order asking if Ingle’s questioning was germane to the bill. The committee’s chairman, Rep. Alex Riley, R-Springfield, said he would “allow a little bit of leeway here, but I would ask that we please keep our comments and questions tailored to HR 4055.”

Ingle then brought up her own point of order defending the political nature of her questioning.

“When we’re hearing a House resolution that’s obviously as politically motivated as this one, politics is going to play a role in this,” Ingle said. “When we’re talking about things the federal government can and can’t do, I’m going to speak on that.”

Republicans on the committee praised the resolution during questioning, including Rep. Aaron McMullen, R-Independence, who said his constituents had frequently brought up the border crisis as a concern.

In witness testimony, May Hall, a Columbia resident, spoke against the resolution for Texas’ handling of the crisis, specifically citing the use of razor wire in rivers.

“When I see arguments so emphatically about how we have to support this measure that is both nationally and internationally illegal, I feel like I’m losing my mind listening to it,” Hall said.

Hall added it is more important for the legislature to be focusing on other issues in the state.

“I’ve seen the state of the roads, I’ve seen the state of the police departments, I’ve seen the state of the farming,” Hall said. “This is just not the thing we need to be focusing on as Missourians.”