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Updated March 14 at 2:20 p.m.: Revised to include additional statements from members of Congress.

WASHINGTON Six Texas Republicans voted against the coronavirus relief package that sailed through the House early Saturday morning.

The sweeping legislation includes free testing for COVID-19 for people without insurance, as well as paid sick leave, $1 billion in food aid, extended unemployment benefits and other measures to help Americans affected by the spreading virus.

Freshman Rep. Chip Roy, R-Austin, called it welfare that would do more harm than good an assertion that prompted Democrats to accuse him of pulling a political stunt that puts Texans at risk.

The House approved the bill 363-40, with the vast majority of Texans in both parties voting for it and touting the $2.2 billion it provides for prevention, preparedness and response.

Roy, along with Reps. Lance Gooden of Terrell, Brian Babin of Woodville, Michael Cloud of Victoria, Louie Gohmert of Tyler and Randy Weber of Friendswood, were among the 40 Republicans who opposed the bill.

Gooden said he voted no because he and other lawmakers were given only a few minutes to read a bill at midnight.

I dont wish to disparage any House members as they hail this bill as a positive step forward, he said in a statement. Im not here to rubber-stamp Nancy Pelosi or anyone elses work without proper vetting."

Pelosi and the White House announced the deal late Friday after negotiations between House Democrats and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. The GOP-controlled Senate will return to work on Monday and address the package.

President Donald Trump blessed the deal, tweeting on Saturday: "Good teamwork between Republicans & Democrats as the House passes the big CoronaVirus Relief Bill. People really pulled together. Nice to see!"

On Friday afternoon, Trump declared the coronavirus a national emergency, freeing up billions in dollars in emergency aid to battle the pandemic.

Texas lawmakers in both parties embraced the deal.

Our country is at its best when we work together through times of crisis, and today, Congress acted in a bipartisan way to combat the spread of coronavirus and bring real relief to our workers and communities, said Rep. Colin Allred, D-Dallas.

Rep. Kay Granger of Fort Worth, the top Republican on the Appropriations Committee, lauded the bill, saying that the American people expect and deserve a comprehensive, coordinated response to the coronavirus.

But Roy and others criticized the process as rushed and complained about the substance of the bill.

I voted no because this bill will cause more harm for more Americans than the good it purports to offer, Roy tweeted early Saturday after the vote, complaining that "we were given a take-it-or-leave it bill with zero chance to amend it or debate it. ... Despite it being well-intentioned, it puts onerous burdens and mandates on main street employers, while picking winners and losers by carving out big business!

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which has targeted Roy as he faces former state Sen. Wendy Davis in the fall, blasted him for grandstanding.

Hes not taking the health and safety of his constituents seriously, said Avery Jaffe, spokesman for the House Democrats campaign arm. While Democrats and Republicans came together to address this outbreak, Chip Roy is once again coming apart pulling political stunts and proving that when Texans need him the most, hell always choose political games over their health and safety.

On the House floor shortly before 1 a.m., following passage of the bill, Gohmert called the speedy vote sad.

This is no way to handle billions and billions of dollars when were trying to help people, he said.

Babin, Cloud and Weber all made similar arguments in separate statements, voicing concern about the vote being rushed.

Three Texas Republicans did not vote: Reps. Kenny Marchant of Coppell and Pete Olson of Sugar Land, who are both retiring after this term, and John Ratcliffe of Heath, near Dallas, who was recently nominated by Trump to serve as director of national intelligence.

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Six Texas Republicans oppose coronavirus relief deal that sailed through House; Chip Roy called it 'welfare' - The Dallas Morning News