Tennessee faces a budget shortfall due to lower-than-expected tax collections. The shortfall is already predicted to reach $1 billion. As a result Governor Bredesen and state lawmakers are proposing massive cuts to state services, including a 20 percent reduction in funding for higher education. Without adequate funding for public colleges, universities and technical institutes, it will be nearly impossible for the state's economy to get back on track. The federal government has committed nearly $1 trillion in bailouts for parts of the financial services industry in attempts to get the economy back on track. Yet they have done nothing to assist states like ours that face an impending crisis. Congress must act now to help our states and to ensure that funding for public higher education is preserved. Now, more than ever, we need colleges and universities with adequate resources; these are some of the best job-creation programs our state has.