Sunday shows preview: States deal with fallout of Ida; Texas abortion law takes effect

The aftermath of Hurricane Ida and a decision by the Supreme Court not to block a controversial, 6-week abortion law that took effect in Texas this week are expected to dominate this weekend’s Sunday shows circuit.

Earlier this week, Hurricane Ida made landfall in Louisiana as a Category 4 hurricane, leaving one million residents in the state without power, and barreling through an area saw devastation after Hurricane Katrina 16 years ago.

At least a dozen people in Louisiana and dozens more died across the Northeast as the remnants of Ida swept states like New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

New York City and New Jersey issued states of emergency, and the National Weather Service issued its first-ever flash food emergencies for both the city and the state.

Entergy, the utility company which supplies power to New Orleans and southeastern portions of the state, estimated that most of the city would have their power back by the middle of next week. 

President Biden toured some of the destruction left by Ida in Louisiana on Friday and met with local officials where he was briefed on the latest updates. He met with Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Deanne Criswell, among others. 

“Folks, I know you’re hurting. I know you’re hurting. Folks in Lake Charles who I visited earlier this year are still hurting from Hurricane Laura. I want you to know, we’re going to be here for you,” Biden said in LaPlace, La. 

Critical supplies such as generators and food have already been deployed by FEMA, and $77 million in disaster aid has been given out by the agency to households in Louisiana. Recovery effort operations have been coordinated by Senior White House adviser Cedric Richmond. 

Richmond is scheduled to appear on ABC’s “This Week” while Criswell is scheduled to appear on “Fox News Sunday.” Cynthia Lee Sheng, president of Jefferson Parish – which sustained damage from Ida, is scheduled to appear on CBS’s “Face the Nation.”

Meanwhile in a 5-4 ruling, the Supreme Court declined to block a Texas abortion law this week after it took effect on Wednesday. 

Under the legislation, abortions are banned in the state once a fetal heartbeat is detected, which can be as early as six weeks after a person becomes pregnant. Medical emergencies are the only exemptions to the law.

Additionally, the law allows private citizens to help enforce the legislation, providing at least $10,000 each time they are able to successfully sue someone who has helped aid someone to get the medical procedure.

Pro-choice advocates have raised concerns that a number of states may try to create “copy-cat” laws given that the Texas law stands. 

Following the ruling, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) tweeted on Thursday “If you ever questioned where these five Justices would be, now you know. We must put Roe into law now. There is no time to lose.”

If you ever questioned where these five Justices would be, now you know.

We must put Roe into law now. There is no time to lose.

— Amy Klobuchar (@amyklobuchar) September 2, 2021

Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-Texas) argued on Twitter that the ability to have an abortion was a constitutional right and vowed to defend the right for women to access it. 

“SCOTUS failed to protect women by allowing Texas’ draconian abortion ban at six weeks – before most women even know they’re pregnant – to take effect. Access to safe abortion is a and we will fight to defend it,” Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-Texas) tweeted on Wednesday.

SCOTUS failed to protect women by allowing Texas’ draconian abortion ban at six weeks – before most women even know they’re pregnant – to take effect.

Access to safe abortion is a and we will fight to defend it.https://t.co/hiOlpzbXWr

— Rep. Veronica Escobar (@RepEscobar) September 1, 2021

Klobuchar is scheduled to appear on CNN’s “State of the Union” while Escobar is scheduled to appear on CBS’s “Face the Nation.”

Below is the full list of guests scheduled to appear on this week’s Sunday talk shows:

ABC’s “This Week” — Cedric Richmond, senior adviser to the president, Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.)

NBC’s “Meet the Press” — Gov, Larry Hogan (R-Md.), Gov. Andy Beshear (D-Ky.) former Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) former Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-Va.)

CBS’s “Face the Nation” — Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Gov. Phil Murphy (D-N.J.) Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-Texas) Cynthia Lee Sheng, president of Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, Sue Gordon, former deputy director of national intelligence.

CNN’s “State of the Union” — White House chief of staff Ron Klain, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.)

“Fox News Sunday” — Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health.

Fox News Channel’s “Sunday Morning Futures” — Chad Wolf, Former Acting DHS Secretary, Dr. Nicole Saphier, FOX News Contributor, Robert O’Brien, Former National Security Adviser, Rep. Bryan Mast (R-Fla.)