Updated at 4 p.m.: Revised to include Cruz statement glossing over Roy's maneuver.

WASHINGTON -- Freshman Rep. Chip Roy, a Texas conservative, single-handedly derailed a $19.1 billion disaster relief package on Friday that had broad bipartisan backing and support from the White House.

The move delayed the bill for at least 10 days and inflamed lawmakers in both parties. The package included long-awaited aid to help rebuild from the devastation of hurricanes Harvey and Maria, which pounded Texas, Puerto Rico and other areas in 2017, plus funds to help Americans from coast to coast recover from storms, earthquakes and wildfires in the past two years.

The bill included a provision forcing the Trump administration to release more than $4 billion previously authorized for Harvey relief in Texas. The delay has frustrated Texas officials, and many of Roy's colleagues from Texas had fought to pry loose the funding.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi denounced Roy's move as "sabotage" and spread the blame beyond Roy individually.

"House Republicans' last-minute sabotage of an overwhelmingly bipartisan disaster relief bill is an act of staggering political cynicism," she said in a statement. "Every House Republican needs to answer to the American people why they are standing in the way of urgently needed disaster relief for families struggling to heal and recover."

But Roy's maneuver exposed the risk of trying to pass a massive spending bill, even one with widespread support, with most lawmakers out of town.

Most House members left Washington on Thursday for the Memorial Day recess, before the Senate finalized its version of the aid package. That left Pelosi to seek approval by unanimous consent, rather than a roll call vote -- a procedure that only works if no member of the House objects. GOP leaders agreed. Roy didn't.

Roy served as Sen. Ted Cruz's first chief of staff and was in the role when Cruz led a crusade against Obamacare that led to a 16-day government shutdown in October 2013.

So he's no stranger to the grand gesture and legislative tactics that alienate colleagues while drawing instant attention.

He also was the ghost writer on Energy Secretary Rick Perry's book Fed Up! -- an anti-Washington screed published when Perry, then governor of Texas, was angling to run for president.

Cruz stumped aggressively for Roy last year, and in a strange statement issued late Friday afternoon, he lauded the Senate for approving the bill on Thursday-- but made no mention that it had stalled in the House hours earlier, nor that a fellow Texan and protege had blocked the measure.

Roy ran first in an 18-way GOP primary to replace retiring Rep. Lamar Smith, a fellow San Antonio Republican. He won the runoff 53%-47%, and the general election 50%-48%.

It's a district that President Donald Trump carried by 10 percentage points in 2016, and Democrats say they'll target him in 2020, though the nominee who came so close last fall, Army veteran Joseph Kopser, isn't running again. Former Fort Worth state Sen. Wendy Davis, who lost a 2014 bid to oust Gov. Greg Abbott, is eyeing the race.

Roy said Friday afternoon that he's gotten lots of positive feedback for his maneuver, along with the torrent of criticism.

Grateful for the numerous texts & emails from colleagues & constituents thanking me for doing what I said I would do... to try to stop business as usual in the swamp. This is about saving the Republic for our kids. Washington is broken. We should debate, vote, & do our jobs. — Chip Roy (@chiproytx) May 24, 2019

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee called Roy's actions Friday "a dagger in the heart to the millions of Americans who have been waiting months for this desperately needed relief."

The bill that Roy delayed sailed through the Senate on Thursday on an 85-8 vote. Cruz and Sen. John Cornyn, fellow Republicans, both voted in favor. Neither responded to requests for comment Friday or weighed in publicly on Roy's maneuver.

Some leading conservatives rallied to Roy's defense, lauding him for taking a stand for fiscal responsibility.

Sen. Mike Lee, a Utah Republican who was one of the eight no votes, tweeted: "Way to fight the good fight. ... The people of Texas are lucky to have you."

Way to fight the good fight @chiproytx. The people of Texas are lucky to have you. https://t.co/vJWnOUFhCm — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) May 24, 2019

Jim DeMint, a former South Carolina senator who founded the Senate Conservatives Fund, which promoted Cruz, Lee and others in the 2012 elections, called Roy a "courageous warrior."

Trump tweeted his "total approval" of the Senate deal on Thursday night, with no mention of the lack of border security funding or any other concerns.

The U.S. Senate has just approved a 19 Billion Dollar Disaster Relief Bill, with my total approval. Great! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 24, 2019

Roy told reporters Friday that he objected because the bill would drive up the federal deficit, and lacks extra funds for border security, which the White House wanted but the Senate omitted.

"The people, particularly in Texas, but people generally, are tired of the swamp and this is a very swampy thing to do -- have a vote on a Friday heading into Memorial Day weekend and after we recess, when we could have done our job yesterday when we had 435 members of Congress who should be here and should vote," Roy said, according to Roll Call.

Texas Democrats blasted Roy.

Dear @ChipRoyTX: Hey man, why are you hurting disaster victims to make a point about congressional procedure? Do you feel all mighty & powerful that you stopped a bipartisan disaster relief bill?



On behalf of disaster victims in my district & across the US, we think you suck. https://t.co/8mXSf5tu37 — Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) May 24, 2019

"Americans have lost everything to hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, and wildfires," said Texas Democratic Party spokeswoman Brittany Switzer. "Texans still don't have homes to live in. They need this funding to put their lives back together. There is no justification for Republican Chip Roy blocking these disaster relief funds."

The DCCC called Roy's move Friday part of a disturbing pattern.

On Thursday, he voted against a legislative fix to protect Gold Star families -- relatives of deceased military personnel -- from a glitch in the 2017 GOP tax bill that imposed a tax hit when they collect survivor benefits.

The House passed that measure 417-3. Roy was one of the three. The DCCC called that vote "shocking" and a "moral stain on his record."

Democrats also pointed to his defense of drugmakers last week during a hearing about price gouging.

Democrats used the hearing to lambaste Gilead, the leading manufacturer of HIV drugs, which sells Truvada for $60 a year outside the United States, while U.S. patients can pay as much as $20,000.

Roy argued that Congress should instead focus on patent laws that allow drug companies to keep competitors off the market.

"I just cannot understand why we are spending time sitting here listening to people lecturing companies about making money. I hope you make a lot of money," he told Gilead CEO Daniel O'Day during that hearing.

DCCC spokesman Avery Jaffe accused him of "sucking up to the types of wealthy special interests who fund his campaigns."