5 Stories to Watch Next Week | August 22, 2020

5 Stories to Watch Next Week There are simply too many developing stories to follow in the world. To make things easier, we narrowed them down to five that you should really watch next week: COVID-19 Stimulus Package Divides Both Parties as They Consider Next Steps — Republicans and Democrats have come to a standstill on what the next coronavirus aid package will include. While a less expensive, “skinny” bill is the goal for Republicans to provide immediate relief, the lack of unity within the GOP on the vote could prevent it from passing. Funding for schools, businesses, and health care is expected to comprise the majority of the legislation. Republicans may also postpone the vote until after their national convention so that the event has as much attention as possible. Democrats, meanwhile, want to spend more than $1 trillion on the package in hopes of extending unemployment benefits, despite President Trump’s executive action to provide additional funds to the unemployed. With no consensus yet, the stimulus vote could be combined with discussions on the new spending bill that will occur in September. Watch next week to see if both parties make progress toward an agreement on a bill to assist Americans as soon as possible.White House Considering $25 Billion in Postal Service Funding — As controversy surrounding the United States Postal Service (USPS) escalates, the White House announced that it is considering $25 billion in emergency funding to keep the USPS afloat. White Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany made the announcement Wednesday after the Trump administration originally set $10 billion as the limit for the Postal Service. The final amount depends on what Republicans and Democrats agree on in the Senate for the next coronavirus aid package. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy also recently announced delaying a number of service reductions and cutbacks until after the election. Several states planned to file lawsuits over the measures. The added layer of ensuring the Postal Service remains intact complicates a bipartisan solution to the coronavirus relief package. Watch next week to see if President Trump takes matters into his own hands regarding Postal Service funding and other relief efforts. Chaos in Portland Continues as Longer Assault Video Shows Moments Leading up to Attack of Truck Driver — Footage was released this week of an attack during the ongoing riots in Portland, Oregon. The 32-minute long video shows a group of people harassing and beating a transgender woman on the street before doing the same to a man. Authorities identified Marquis Love, 25, as a suspect and are searching for him. “Lives Matter” producer Drew Hernandez, who released the video on YouTube, said, “What I witnessed this particular night literally was ... a borderline execution, an attempted execution.” As Portland and other cities struggle with riots and violence, it remains unclear how long this chaos will continue. Watch next week to see if there are any updates on catching Love or other suspects and any developments to quell the disorder in Portland. University of Notre Dame Stops In-Person Teaching as COVID-19 Cases Climb — Schools across the country are starting to reopen for in-person classes, but these plans may be soon cut short in many places. The University of Notre Dame just announced that it will be holding classes online for the next two weeks and possibly longer after a spike in coronavirus cases. After eight days of classes, the university reported 147 confirmed cases, prompting the change. Notre Dame President John Jenkins has no plans to send students home yet because of the virus but said, “We must take serious steps to address it” before adjusting plans. Along with Notre Dame, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill announced plans to switch to an online curriculum this week after a rise in cases. Watch next week to see if these changes will influence any other colleges as institutions finalize their plans for the fall. California Wildfires Prompt Urgent Evacuations — Following recording-breaking heat and several lightning strikes, enormous wildfires continue to rage in the Bay Area of California. Authorities have ordered evacuations for several counties, including Sonoma, Lake, Solano, and Napa. In these counties alone, over 46,000 acres have burned, leading California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) to declare a state of emergency this week. The smoke from these fires continues to spread, too, polluting the air and becoming a serious health risk. Wildfires can take days or even weeks to put out completely, so watch next week to see if any new fires break out and how the coronavirus might affect evacuations and rescues. Newt's Latest Podcasts: Order Newt's Latest Book: https://www.gingrich360.com/trump-and-the-american-future

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