Gov. Phil Bredesen advised key congressional staff that “dollar -for-dollar” Pre-K is the best education investment. In Tennessee, while the “overall budget is going south” he kept Pre-K funding. The state requires a balanced budget so the governor said he has been “turning somersalts to preserve (Pre-K) funding.” With two years left as governor Bredesen says he wants state-wide Pre-K to “happen on my watch.” U.S. Senators Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and Kit Bond (R-MO) invited Governor Bredesen to come to Washington for the briefing. The two senators are sponsoring The Ready to Learn Act but the governor said there are two other proposals before the Congress. He has not endorsed any particular measure.