5 Stories to Watch Next Week | October 17, 2020

5 Stories to Watch Next Week Final Presidential Debate Scheduled for Thursday President Trump and Joe Biden are scheduled to square off in the final presidential debate at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, on Thursday. The debate will be moderated by Kristen Welker, White House correspondent for NBC News and co-anchor of Weekend TODAY. While topics have not been formally announced yet, President Trump’s recovery from COVID-19 and the impending confirmation of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court are certain to be topics of debate. Given that the moderators of both the previous election debates have been accused of slanting their questioning in favor of the Democratic candidates, watch to find out if similar accusations surface this time around. Also, look out for any change in tone or message from either candidate, given that millions of Americans are already casting their ballots. Senate Judiciary Vote on Barrett Set for Next Week Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) announced on Thursday that the committee will vote on the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court on Thursday. Given that all Republicans on the committee have committed to voting to confirm Judge Barrett, it is likely that the committee will report her nomination to the full Senate with a positive recommendation. Following that, it is likely that Senate Majority Leader McConnell (R-KY) will move to end debate and schedule a final confirmation vote on the floor of the Senate in the week preceding the election. Watch to find out if congressional Democrats attempt to force procedural votes to delay the confirmation vote on Barrett or if Republicans are able to proceed on their own timeline. Also, look out for announcements from vulnerable Republican incumbents like Susan Collins (R-ME) as to how they plan to vote. Senate to Vote on Targeted COVID-19 Relief Bill Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced that the Senate will vote on a narrow COVID-19 relief bill consisting of new funding for the Paycheck Protection Program, a federal initiative that provides forgivable government-backed loans to small businesses grappling with the economic fallout of the pandemic. The bill is also slated to address other Republican priorities like school funding and liability protections for business lawsuits pertaining to the virus. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has resisted attempts to pass COVID-19 relief bills targeted at specific industries or programs, insisting on a broader legislative package. Additionally, Senate Democrats filibustered a similar targeted bill proposed by the Senate GOP last month. Watch to find out if either congressional Democrats or the Trump administration insist on including $1,200 stimulus checks as part of the bill. Also, look to find out if vulnerable and moderate Democrats pressure their leadership to accept a consensus package before the election. Fallout from Twitter, Facebook Suppressing Bombshell Story on Hunter Biden’s Links to Ukraine This week, Twitter and Facebook restricted the sharing of a major story by the New York Post unveiling emails showing that Hunter Biden introduced his father, then-Vice President Joe Biden, to a top executive at the Ukrainian energy firm Burisma. If confirmed as accurate, this would contradict Biden’s assertion that he had no knowledge of his son’s overseas dealings. In response, Twitter claimed that the piece breached the platform’s rules on sharing materials obtained through hacking. Twitter also locked the personal account of White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany and the official account of the Trump campaign when they attempted to share the story. Facebook responded by stating that it was awaiting input from independent fact-checkers before allowing the news to be spread. The actions from the two platforms invoked furor from congressional Republicans, such as Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO), who announced that the Senate Judiciary Committee will subpoena Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey prior to the election. Watch next week to find out how both platforms distinguish their actions from blatant election interference under oath. Also, look out for action from either the White House or Congress to regulate social media platforms to prevent them from suppressing information critical of the Biden campaign. EU Members to Adopt Travel Guidelines as Coronavirus Spreads European Union nations expect to enforce guidelines on travel next Tuesday within the bloc based on the extent to which each nation has been successful in containing the coronavirus. The measures are likely to pertain to quarantine and testing rules, stopping short of complete harmonization. Officials within the EU have expressed their intention to restore free travel within the bloc as soon as possible. To that end, some EU representatives have proposed using a color-coded map to denote the scale of outbreaks which would help in formulating individual guidelines. Watch next week to find out what rules EU nations establish to regulate travel within the bloc and if they ease certain restrictions outside the bloc. Newt's Latest Podcasts: Order Newt's Latest Book: https://www.gingrich360.com/trump-and-the-american-future

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