"Business Roundtable welcomes Governor Richardson's entry into the health care debate," said John J. Castellani, president of Business Roundtable. "America's current health system is an obstacle in our country's quest to remain competitive in an evolving global economy and we applaud Governor Richardson for recognizing the 'economic imperative' of addressing this issue."

"As providers of health care coverage for 35 million Americans, our members not only believe that every American should have access to quality, affordable health care, they are also actively working to make it a reality. To do so will take a combination of private market reforms and changes in government programs. Governor Richardson has taken the first step in the right direction by making this issue a priority and speaking up about the importance of health care in our national policy discussions. We look forward to carefully reviewing his plan."