Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (third from left) walks from his office to the Senate floor at the Capitol, March 18.

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WASHINGTON — The Senate passed a multibillion-dollar coronavirus aid package Wednesday. It is expected to be quickly signed into law by President Donald Trump.

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act passed by a vote of 90–8. It expands Medicaid and unemployment benefits, orders free coronavirus testing, and mandates paid sick leave and childcare leave — but only for certain employees.

Many Senate Republicans criticized the package. But most held their noses and voted for it after the White House lobbied to pass the bill immediately rather than get bogged down with amendments.

“I do not believe we should let perfection be the enemy of something that will help even a subset of workers,” said Majority Leader Mitch McConnell before the bill passed on Wednesday.

The bill is projected to authorize well over $100 billion worth of aid. The Senate will now turn to negotiating a much larger aid bill — potentially worth up to $1 trillion — to save the economy, primarily focused on keeping small businesses and the airline industry afloat. An $8.3 billion spending package to fight and treat the virus passed in early March.

The House first passed the Families First Act early Saturday morning. In response to Republican objections, significant amendments were passed Monday, including limiting who will qualify for paid sick leave. The bill offers two weeks of paid sick leave to employees who have COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. They will be paid their entire salary, up to $511 per day (which works out to about $130,000 per year).

However, the bill contains many loopholes that allow employers not to offer sick leave. Large companies with over 500 employees are exempt, and businesses with under 50 employees can be exempted as well. Health providers such as hospitals and nursing homes are also exempt.