"Last week Duncan sent a letter to thousands of colleges and universities urging them get ready to use the Direct Loan Program by summer," Kansas City Star reports. "But U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill, a Missouri Democrat, said she thought schools would have plenty of time to change to the Direct Loan Program. 'I would be shocked if something like this were to become effective in the same year that it is passed,' McCaskill said. 'It would be more like 2011. If I had to guess or die, the Senate is not likely to even pick up the student aid bill until after it's done with health care reform.'"