Updated at 12:35 p.m.: Revised to include comment from Rep. Jodey Arrington, after an earlier update included Cornyn’s clarification that he’s supporting the idea of direct cash payments for only those Americans who are out of work.

WASHINGTON — Texas Sen. John Cornyn on Wednesday said he would support the federal government sending direct cash payments to Americans — but only those who are out of work — as a way to combat the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic.

The Republican said that while the outbreak is an “extraordinary emergency,” the economic assistance offered by Congress should not be a “blank check.”

“What I believe is important is that people who are sitting at home because the business that employs them has shut down in the interest of protecting the public health — we need to get them some help as soon as we can, and the faster the better,” he said.

Cornyn’s view is narrower than the proposal being put forth by President Donald Trump’s administration, which has joined some other Republicans in suggesting direct cash payments to most Americans, subject to restrictions based on income level and family size.

Asked about the payouts in a radio interview earlier Wednesday, Cornyn had expressed general openness to the idea. He clarified in a subsequent conference call with Texas reporters that it “would be a mistake” to give the cash to all Americans.

“I’m certainly not going to support cash payments to millionaires and billionaires,” he said, explaining that it would have to be “means-tested” and include other conditions. “Members of Congress shouldn’t get cash just because we happen to be adults.”

The debate nevertheless signals the next stage in Congress’ response to the coronavirus outbreak.

The idea of a direct economic infusion to many or most Americans has gained traction in recent days as the coronavirus outbreak has sharply curtailed business across the U.S. The impact is hitting consumer-facing industries like restaurants and airlines perhaps the hardest.

Republicans often balk at giving away such huge sums of money, particularly without a plan to pay for the largesse. So it remains to be seen if enough conservatives will come on board with the payout proposal, especially amid opposition from groups like the anti-tax Club for Growth.

But the pandemic’s unprecedented scope has upturned conventional norms.

The Trump administration has backed the idea of giving most American adults the cash as part of a far-reaching $1 trillion economic stimulus that would also include significant financial assistance to the airline industry and other impacted sectors.

Trump is suggesting that $250 billion be doled out in direct payments to Americans starting April 6 and then another $250 billion be sent out starting May 18.

The idea is to not only help those Americans who are out of work. The cash infusion would also be designed to give employed Americans some extra money to order takeout, shop remotely or otherwise spend to help the industries being hit by the growing coronavirus shutdown.

“We’re looking at sending checks to Americans immediately,” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told reporters Tuesday. “And I mean now, in the next two weeks.”

Cornyn said there had been talk about providing aid through the nation’s unemployment compensation system. But he said Mnuchin, who’s taking a lead role in negotiations, said the worry was that the money wouldn’t get out fast enough.

Mnuchin also reportedly told Republican senators this week that an economic stimulus, including cash payments, was necessary to prevent U.S. unemployment from reaching 20%.

Republicans like Utah Sen. Mitt Romney, in turn, have suggested setting the payout amount at $1,000 per person. Some Democrats have gone even higher, with Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio and others proposing $2,000 checks for those under a certain income threshold.

There’s no disputing the need to do something.

“Our whole economy is in jeopardy,” Cornyn told West Texas talk radio host Chad Hasty when asked about the cash payments. “That’s why you find Congress, people like me, who otherwise wouldn’t consider things like this, on a war footing, saying we’ve got to beat this virus.”

But the details are going to matter.

Cornyn on Wednesday said he was “inclined to support an expedited, temporary infusion of money to those out of work individuals.” He said that any such program would need to have “some controls,” citing one suggestion to limit the aid to those who earn less than $65,000 a year.

Texas Democratic Party spokesman Abhi Rahman poked at Cornyn for his stance.

“It’s great to see that Cornyn is starting to embrace helping out the most vulnerable among us, but it’s not nearly wide enough and it shouldn’t have taken this outbreak for him to finally start,” Rahman said, saying that Cornyn should urge Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to expand Medicaid.

Other Texas Republicans are taking a wait-and-see approach.

Houston Rep. Dan Crenshaw, for instance, wrote on Twitter on Wednesday that “there is a real need to inject money into the economy.”

“That being said, many people with a steady income do not need a $1,000 check, including myself,” he said. “We must target resources to our most vulnerable populations — low to middle income Americans who can’t work & can’t pay bills.”

Lubbock Rep. Jodey Arrington, in his own appearance on Hasty’s radio show, said he was “still leery” about the direct payments.

“The big controversial issue is the direct payments to individuals,” he said, explaining his preference for providing aid through tax breaks or bolstered unemployment offerings. But “this is uncharted territory and we are in an emergency crisis mode — at least we’re trying to prevent a crisis mode.”

Back at the Capitol, even House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, is hedging her support.

Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill took to Twitter on Tuesday to say that the speaker “supports Congress taking an approach targeted to those most in need,” as opposed to a “cash payment to every adult regardless of income.”