Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 119.djvu/2825

 PUBLIC LAW 109–148—DEC. 30, 2005

119 STAT. 2807

in a program or activity, or in employment or contracting, under existing law (in existence on the date of the Secretary’s action); or (2) to authorize any refunding of any repayment of a loan. SEC. 203. MODIFICATION OF PART A OF TITLE II GRANTS AUTHORIZED.

The Secretary is authorized to approve modifications to the requirements for Teacher Quality Enhancement Grants for States and Partnerships under part A of title II of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1021 et seq.), at the request of the grantee— (1) to assist States and local educational agencies to recruit and retain highly qualified teachers in a school district located in an area affected by a Gulf hurricane disaster; and (2) to assist institutions of higher education, located in such area to recruit and retain faculty necessary to prepare teachers and provide professional development. SEC. 204. AUTHORIZED USES OF TRIO, GEAR-UP, PART A OR B OF TITLE III, AND OTHER GRANTS.

The Secretary is authorized to modify the required and allowable uses of funds under chapters 1 and 2 of subpart 2 of part A of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a et seq., 1070a–21 et seq.), under part A or B of title III (20 U.S.C. 1057 et seq., 1060 et seq.), and under any other competitive grant program, at the request of an affected institution or other grantee, with respect to affected institutions and other grantees located in an area affected by a Gulf hurricane disaster. The Secretary may not, under the authority of this section, authorize any new construction, renovation, or improvement of classrooms, libraries, laboratories, or other instructional facilities that is not authorized under the institution’s grant award, as in effect on the date of enactment of this Act, under part A or B of title III of such Act. SEC. 205. PROFESSIONAL JUDGMENT.

A financial aid administrator shall be considered to be making an adjustment in accordance with section 479A(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087tt(a)) if the financial aid administrator makes the adjustment with respect to the calculation of the expected student or parent contribution (or both) for an affected student, or for a student or a parent who resides or resided on August 29, 2005, or was employed on August 29, 2005, in an area affected by a Gulf hurricane disaster. The financial aid administrator shall adequately document the need for the adjustment. SEC. 206. EXPANDING INFORMATION DISSEMINATION REGARDING ELIGIBILITY FOR PELL GRANTS.

(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall make special efforts, in conjunction with State efforts, to notify affected students and if applicable, their parents, who qualify for means-tested Federal benefit programs, of their potential eligibility for a maximum Pell Grant, and shall disseminate such informational materials as the Secretary deems appropriate. (b) MEANS-TESTED FEDERAL BENEFIT PROGRAM.—For the purpose of this section, the term ‘‘means-tested Federal benefit program’’ means a mandatory spending program of the Federal Government, other than a program under the Higher Education Act of

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