WASHINGTON — Last week, Sen. Ted Cruz joined members of Congress’ most conservative wing — Sens. Rand Paul and Mike Lee chief among them — to blast a leaked Affordable Care Act overhaul draft bill for not going far enough to undo the health care law.

But on Tuesday, as Paul and Lee denounced the legislation filed this week by House Republican leaders as "Obamacare Lite" and a “step in the wrong direction,” the firebrand Texan was more cautious.

“I have a number of concerns with the draft bill, but the proper way to address those concerns is through working with colleagues in the House and the Senate and the administration, and that is what I’m doing right now,” Cruz told reporters.

Cruz is noticeably absent from a growing chorus of criticism from the House and Senate’s far right — conservatives who say the legislation unveiled by House Speaker Paul Ryan's leadership team stops short of the GOP’s pledge to fully undo the Affordable Care Act. What’s more, they say the use of tax credits to help Americans pay for health care amounts to a new entitlement program.

Cruz skipped a news conference Tuesday held by Paul, Lee and a handful of members from the conservative House Freedom Caucus, including Texas Rep. Louie Gohmert of Tyler, in which the lawmakers said they'll oppose the legislation. An aide to Cruz didn’t say why he declined to attend.

Backed by members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul expressed their opposition to the GOP's proposed Obamacare substitute, the American Health Care Act, on Tuesday. (Gabriella Demczuk/The New York Times)

The Texan made his name fighting Obamacare and has repeatedly called for its full and swift repeal. But chastened by the divisive presidential election, Cruz has yet to buck President Donald Trump on major issues — and the legislation unveiled by House leaders this week has White House support.

Trump tweeted praise for the GOP legislation Tuesday, saying, “Our wonderful new health care bill is now out for review and negotiation.” And Vice President Mike Pence made clear that the American Health Care Act has the president’s support but is “open to improvements.”

Our wonderful new Healthcare Bill is now out for review and negotiation. ObamaCare is a complete and total disaster - is imploding fast! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 7, 2017

Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price applauded the plan in a letter to House leaders, while Texas Sen. John Cornyn, the No. 2 Republican leader in the Senate, called the legislation “a major step in the right direction.”

Democrats warned that the plan would result in cuts to Medicaid and increased premiums, and would force millions of Americans — the elderly, in particular — off their health care plans.

The measure — which goes before committees for vetting this week — does away with the individual and employer mandate and would levy a 30 percent surcharge on Americans who let their medical coverage lapse. It would dramatically restructure Medicaid — to a per capita allotment — and beginning in 2020, freeze federal funding to the 31 states that chose to expand it. Texas did not.

The legislation preserves Obamacare’s most popular elements, such as allowing young Americans to stay on their parents’ plans until age 26 and protecting people with pre-existing conditions. But it prohibits Planned Parenthood from receiving federal funds through Medicaid reimbursements or family planning grants, an issue sure to pose hurdles in the Senate, where Republicans hold a slim majority.

Th House leadership plan is Obamacare Lite. It will not pass. Conservarives are not going to take it. #FullRepeal — Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) March 7, 2017

Lee, a Republican from Utah, said it’s not known what the plan will cost and whether the legislation would achieve the party’s goal of making health care more affordable. The Congressional Budget Office has not yet released its assessment of the bill.

“This is exactly the type of backroom dealing and rushed process that we criticized Democrats for, and it is not what we promised the American people,” he said Tuesday.

This isn't the #Obamacare repeal bill we’ve been waiting for. It's a missed opportunity and step in wrong direction: https://t.co/922ees4RFB — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) March 7, 2017

Gohmert, a new member of the House Freedom Caucus, told reporters at the news conference that the GOP doesn’t “need to start doing entitlement programs.”

House Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady, The Woodlands Republican who is a leading player in the overhaul, pushed back against criticism of the bill.

Brady is among those who say the proposal will stabilize the turbulent individual marketplace and lower costs to patients, while giving Americans and states greater flexibility. But, acknowledging the battles with some GOP members ahead, he said he's open to negotiation.

“This is Obamacare gone,” Brady said to criticism of the measure as “Obamacare Lite.” "This is the first and most important step in giving relief to Americans from this terrible law.”

Republicans have a choice, he said. “We can act now or we can keep fiddling around and squander this opportunity to repeal Obamacare and begin a new chapter of freedom for the American people.”

As for Cruz, it’s not known what role he will play in those negotiations — the peacemaker or the flamethrower — as lawmakers aim to take a Senate vote on the measure by mid-April.

Cruz was short on details in chats with reporters but noted: “The legislative process is designed to be a debate within the House and the Senate, between the two chambers and with the administration ... that debate is proceeding and will continue to be vigorous.”