7. Obama found time to criticize the coronavirus response

• While giving a commencement speech for students graduating from historically black colleges, former President Barack Obama took a moment to say, “[T]his pandemic has fully, finally torn back the curtain on the idea that so many of the folks in charge know what they’re doing.”
• Obama added that the upcoming presidential election is especially important because “we’re fighting against is these long-term trends in which being selfish, being tribal, being divided, and seeing others as an enemy — that has become a stronger impulse in American life.” While he didn’t mention President Donald Trump or anyone in the administration by name, he made it clear who he was talking about. 

6. SEC to decide this week when to reopen

• On May 22, the schools in the SEC will vote on if athletic facilities at schools should reopen after June 1; the vote will take place via conference call with the SEC presidents. 
• University of Alabama System Chancellor Finis St. John has already said that they intend for schools to resume on-campus instruction and activities by fall, while Auburn University President Jay Gogue has said they will “have football this fall.”

5. China continues to be exposed as an untrustworthy nation

• There is no question that the Chinese government has been less than truthful about the handling of the COVID-19 outbreak. Now, newly-leaked documents indicate that the communist nation has 640,000+ cases of the virus instead of the 80,000 cases they have touted. 
• No one believed China was telling the truth, but the American media hoped it would be true so they could continue to blame the United States for underestimating the virus, even though health officials have made it clear that China’s dishonesty hid the severity of the issue at hand.

4. Pelosi is pushing for a quick decision on HEROES Act

• The $3 trillion coronavirus relief bill passed the U.S. House late last week and now has to go through the U.S. Senate. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is pushing for the Senate to act quickly on the legislative package. saying, “[W]e cannot take pause.”
• GOP members have voiced their opposition to the package, with U.S. Senator John Kennedy (R-LA) saying it “would rewrite our immigration laws. Her bill would federalize elections.” He added that the bill “would allow federal prisoners to go free. It mentions dope more than it talks about jobs. I think it references cannabis like 68 times. It would expand ObamaCare.”

3. “Vaccine or no vaccine, we are back”

• During the formal announcement of “Operation Warp Speed,” President Donald Trump made it clear that the resumption of American life is not 100% dependent on the creation and distribution of a vaccine and that Americans will return to work and the economy will recover.
• Trump’s hope for a vaccine was apparent when he said, “[W]e think we are going to have a vaccine in the pretty near future.” 

2. Executive amendment expected to pass

• Monday is the last day of the 2020 legislative session in Alabama, and the legislature will be deciding if they’ll accept Governor Kay Ivey’s executive amendment to deal with the $1.8 billion from the CARES Act. State Senator Tim Melson (R-Florence) is optimistic and said the state Senate will “agree to the amendment.”
• While on Alabama Public Television’s “Capitol Journal,” Ivey discussed the $1.8 billion in CARES Act funding that Alabama received, and said that the reason for the executive amendment was to “not only allocate but spend $1.8 [billion] for the purposes intended by Congress to help those who have had expenses caused by the coronavirus.” She wants the money spent by December 30 so it does not have to be returned.

1. Businesses are struggling, but some are expecting a quick recovery

• In a survey conducted by the Alabama Workforce Council and AlabamaWorks!, 49.6% of businesses, 68% of which were small businesses, said that they anticipate the business climate to improve over the next six months. 
• For now, 53% of businesses have issued a hiring freeze and 82% expect a negative financial impact from the coronavirus pandemic. One-third of those that participated in the survey have laid off employees, and at least 46% of businesses have been experiencing supply chain disruption.