Friend,

COVID-19 doesn't care about our state borders. It doesn't care about our small businesses. It doesn't care about our plans. And it certainly does not care about politics.

And so our response to this crisis demands collaboration, data, steadiness, and empathy. We have seen that we can't just rely on the federal government to keep us safe -- we have to work together as states.

That's why I joined with my fellow West Coast governors -- Governor Gavin Newsom of California and Governor Kate Brown of Oregon -- to make a pact on a shared approach of what reopening our state economies might look like.

While each state has its own plan, we are committed to three things together:

1. The health of the residents of our states comes first. Period. End of story.
2. All decisions will be made based on health outcomes and science -- not politics.
3. Progress will only be made if we work together.

This is pretty basic, and it's really unfortunate we're not seeing this kind of leadership from President Trump on a national level. But we can't wait -- and it's encouraging to see other governors across the country make similar pacts with their surrounding states, like those in the Northeastern corner of the United States.

I'm glad to unite with the other West Coast governors to build a coordinated approach to restarting public life and business while keeping our residents healthy. I hope you'll share this news about our Western States Pact with your friends and family on Facebook to let them know we are working together to look out for all our citizens and will continue to do so no matter what.

Very truly yours,

Jay