WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, R-3rd, of Butler, a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, issued a statement Wednesday regarding the Obama administration’s decision to halt the implementation of the employer mandate provision of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, also known as ObamaCare, for one year.

He said, “The employer mandate is a job-killer, a wage-killer and a business-killer. It forces employers to make devastating decisions that impact their associates and their families in the most harmful ways.

“Much like the rest of ObamaCare, this provision was created with total disregard for the impact it would have on our struggling economy and hardworking Americans. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter if the provision is delayed for a year, five years, or even a decade — the employer mandate is extremely dangerous and should be repealed in full.

“Now that the administration has conceded that a centerpiece of the Affordable Care Act is not so affordable and frankly unworkable, the president should take this opportunity to work with Congress to fully repeal and replace ObamaCare.”