WASHINGTON — The Obama administration announced its decision to delay implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act’s employer mandate, a central component of the president’s health care law.

U.S. Rep. Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, noted that the one-year delay neither fixes the problems of Obamacare or brings Michigan families and local business owners the relief they deserve.

“For the last three years, the law has been plagued by broken promises, projected cost increases, delays and missed deadlines. The administration’s sudden turnabout is a clear admission that its signature law is bad for business and bad for jobs,” said Upton, chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

“We have all heard the warnings, and a one-year delay does nothing to fix the law’s fundamental flaws. This law will never be ready for prime time and sadly, the administration’s acknowledgement that it still needs yet another year clearly disrupts everyone’s ability to determine what is best for them and their business.”

David C. Rhoa, president of Lake Michigan Mailers Inc., a small business in Kalamazoo, welcomed news of the delay.

“I am gratified to see that the Obama administration has finally heard what the small business community has been screaming from the top of its lungs since before the Affordable Care Act was signed into law; namely, the rules imposed on small business under the ACA are vague, onerous, excessive and will lead to reduced hours and reduced employment opportunities,” said Rhoa, who heads the 36-year-old family business that employs 55 workers.

Questions, however, remain.

“Given the complexity of this law, I will need to review the full details of this announcement before I can determine how this change will directly impact my company and my employees,” Rhoa said.