A closer look at Ida's devastation

Laura L. Davis, USA TODAY
·6 min read
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President Joe Biden highlighted climate change as he toured areas devastated by Hurricane Ida. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed a more restrictive voting bill into law. And the White House asked Congress for billions in emergency funds for Afghan resettlement.

👋 Hey! Laura here, with all the news you need to know Tuesday.

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Biden tours Hurricane Ida damage

President Joe Biden went to New York and New Jersey on Tuesday to tour areas devastated by the catastrophic effects of Hurricane Ida, using the trip to highlight climate change and underscore the importance of passing his infrastructure bill to help communities better prepare for extreme weather events. "We're living through it now. We don't have any more time," Biden said of the effects of climate change. The president met with New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, officials and members of Congress in Manville, New Jersey, where he was briefed on the damage caused by the powerful storm before touring a neighborhood littered with furniture and other debris left in Ida's wake. Biden will also visit the New York City borough of Queens. The visit is Biden's second such trip after he traveled last week to Louisiana, where Ida made landfall before flooding the Northeast with torrential rainfall, leaving more than 60 people dead, including 27 in New Jersey and 13 people in New York City.

President Joe Biden tours a neighborhood hit by Hurricane Ida on Sept. 7 in Manville, N.J., accompanied by Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., second from left, and New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, second from right.
President Joe Biden tours a neighborhood hit by Hurricane Ida on Sept. 7 in Manville, N.J., accompanied by Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., second from left, and New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, second from right.

Voting bill signed into Texas law

Making good on a promise to rewrite the state's election practices despite sharp opposition – and quorum-busting walkouts – from Democrats, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed a Republican-backed voting bill into law Tuesday. "Election integrity is now the law in the state of Texas," Abbott said shortly after putting his signature to Senate Bill 1 during a ceremony in Tyler. Abbott dismissed Democrats and civil rights leaders who say SB 1 will increase hurdles to voting and disproportionately target nonwhite voters. After Abbott signed SB 1, the League of United Latin American Citizens announced that it filed a federal lawsuit to block the law from taking effect in early December. All Democrats in the Legislature voted against SB 1, arguing that it was inspired by the "Big Lie" that voter fraud denied Donald Trump a second term in the White House, requiring a sharp crackdown to protect the integrity of the ballot. Only one lawmaker crossed party lines – Rep. Lyle Larson, R-San Antonio, who voted against SB 1. What's in the bill? Here's what you need to know.

Texas Gov Greg Abbott shows off Senate Bill 1, also known as the election integrity bill, after he signed it into law in Tyler, Texas, Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2021. The sweeping bill signed Tuesday by the two-term Republican governor further tightens Texas’ strict voting laws.
Texas Gov Greg Abbott shows off Senate Bill 1, also known as the election integrity bill, after he signed it into law in Tyler, Texas, Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2021. The sweeping bill signed Tuesday by the two-term Republican governor further tightens Texas’ strict voting laws.

What everyone's talking about

Most parents back mask mandates for schools, dislike online learning

As the last wave of U.S. kids heads back to school, parents are concerned their children will get seriously ill if they catch COVID-19. A strong majority support requiring masks and teacher vaccinations amid the surge in pediatric cases. Still, parents are eager for their children to return to classrooms, and they're more skeptical of online learning than they were last school year. That’s according to a new USA TODAY/Ipsos poll, which found declining optimism about distance learning as some schools, having just reopened, close or go back online. Read more here.

👉 COVID-19 news: Biden's new strategy to stop virus spread; Fauci says packing football stadiums isn't smart. Catch up on Monday's updates.

From left, 11th grader Ricardo Lopez and 10th grader Justin Couch raise the flag as a part of the ROTC's flag detail at Ambridge Area Senior High School on Sept. 7, the first day of Pennsylvania's mask mandate for K-12 schools and day care centers.
From left, 11th grader Ricardo Lopez and 10th grader Justin Couch raise the flag as a part of the ROTC's flag detail at Ambridge Area Senior High School on Sept. 7, the first day of Pennsylvania's mask mandate for K-12 schools and day care centers.

White House asks Congress for Afghan resettlement emergency funds

The White House seeks billions in emergency funds this month from Congress to help resettle tens of thousands of Afghan immigrants into the USA. In a spending request Tuesday outlining "urgent needs," President Joe Biden's administration asked for $6.4 billion for Afghan resettlement efforts one week after the United States ended its military effort in Afghanistan. The government is working to resettle Afghan allies evacuated from the war-torn country. White House officials requested "at least $10 billion" for recovery efforts from Hurricane Ida and an additional $14 billion for other natural disasters – including Hurricanes Laura and Delta last year. The spending was proposed in a request for a "short-term continuing resolution" that would give more time for Congress to pass a full budget for the 2022 fiscal year, which is set to begin Oct. 1. Federal government spending will end on Sept. 30, forcing a shutdown, unless there is action from Congress.

Real quick

Perseverance paid off

The first sample of a rock from Mars was collected by the Perseverance rover, marking the first time scientifically identified and selected materials are scheduled to be returned to Earth from another planet, according to NASA. The robot rover Perseverance arrived in February at Mars’ Jezero Crater – a former lakebed and river delta – in search of rocks that could contain evidence of past Martian life. Future Spacecraft will collect the specimens and deliver them to Earth a decade from now.

The Perseverance rover drilled a hole to collect samples in Mars' Jezero Crater.
The Perseverance rover drilled a hole to collect samples in Mars' Jezero Crater.

A break from the news

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Biden visits NY, NJ amid Hurricane Ida recovery, Afghan resettlement, Texas SB1, COVID-19 mask mandates. It's Tuesday's news.