Minnesota U.S. Rep. Tom Emmer joined a small group of conservative Republicans opposing a bipartisan House coronavirus package backed by the White House that includes paid emergency leave for workers and free testing for COVID-19.

The House passed the bill in the early hours of Saturday on a vote of 363 to 40. The rest of Minnesota's House delegation, five Democrats and two Republicans, all voted in favor.

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The bill increases access to free testing, provides $1 billion in food aid, expands paid sick leave requirements, and enhances unemployment insurance. President Donald Trump tweeted his support on Friday night after the administration reached a deal with Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Emmer issued a statement on Sunday saying he is "fully aware of the serious situation we are in as a country" but raised questions about the spending and complained that the legislative process was rushed and haphazard.

"We were given 26 minutes to read and vote on over a hundred pages of legislation containing billions in new spending and new mandates on our small business community," Emmer said. "There was no time to analyze the full impact of this legislation on Main Street businesses. Perhaps worst of all, at a time when spending is out of control, nobody even bothered to calculate the cost of these measures."

Some House Republicans had been seeking more flexibility for small business owners related to the paid leave provision. The legislation will provide two weeks of paid sick leave and up to three months of paid family and medical leave. But some Republicans noted that it has an exemption for businesses with 500 employees or more, raising questions about the impact on small businesses.

The U.S. Senate is expected to take up the measure soon though some members of the Republican majority have raised objections to certain provisions.

In his statement, Emmer said "Congress still has time to get this right." He said lawmakers "should ensure these policies will in fact provide the relief that so many Americans may rely on."

Emmer, and the rest of the Minnesota delegation, all backed an $8 billion coronavirus aid package that Congress approved earlier in March.

Emmer represents central Minnesota's Sixth District, which stretches from northwestern Twin Cities suburbs to the St. Cloud area.

His fellow Minnesota Republican, Rep. Pete Stauber of northeastern Minnesota, praised the measure in a news release on Saturday.

"As more cases of coronavirus are detected in the United States, it is imperative that Congress continue to enact reforms that safeguard the health and welfare of the American people," Stauber said in a statement. "This is not a partisan issue, so I was proud to join my colleagues on both sides of the aisle in passing legislation that will ensure free testing, give families financial certainty, expand telehealth services, and protect seniors with severe medical conditions."

Patrick Condon • 612-673-4413