PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee and Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey have joined a nationwide alliance aimed at safeguarding public health and strengthening coordination across state borders.

The goal of the Governors Public Health Alliance is to allow participating governors to explore data-sharing, align on guidance and act quickly in the face of emerging health threats.

"Public health is the foundation of everything that makes our states strong: our economy, our schools and our families," McKee said. "At a time when public health leadership in Washington, D.C. is increasingly unstable, we are committed to stepping up to create clear, coordinated leadership led by facts and science."

The bipartisan alliance also includes the following governors: California's Gavin

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