The United States Senate just sent to the President a reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, which included a provision authored by U.S. Senator Mary L. Landrieu, D-La., creating a higher education disaster loan program. The Landrieu language will allow colleges and universities devastated by a disaster to access low-interest, long-term loans to rebuild from the Department of Education. The provision is retroactive for schools affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

The legislation, which Bush is expected to sign into law, will also provide grants for security systems and specifically mass notification systems.