Two U.S. Senators will chair an historic hearing -- Senators Mark Andrews (R- N. Dakota) and Patrick Leahy (D- Vt.) have arranged for a regional hearing of the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Rural Development to be held in Vermont, the nation's most rural state. The hearing is being held at and broadcast live from Vermont ETV, the state's public television network. The unique feature of the hearing is that in addition to taking scheduled testimony from experts who will appear before them at the TV studio, the senators are encouraging anyone else interested to give testimony by telephone during the hearing. Those comments become part of the permanent committee record and, as such, affect legislation that is proposed by the Senate Agricultural Committee. When the idea of the "audience participation" hearing was proposed by Vermont ETV public affairs producer Jack Barry, the senators were enthusiastic. However, the Senate Rules Committee had to approve the unprecedented format. According to Senator Leahy, the Rules Committee found that such a hearing would not only be acceptable under Senate bylaws, but would be a groundbreaking effort in broadening the involvement of citizens in their government. Senators Andrews and Leahy will hear from both professionals and ordinary citizens on such topics as economic development, health, town government, housing, agriculture and transportation. For those who do not get a chance to be heard during the program, there will be an address given to mail in written testimony. The record will remain open at least two weeks after the hearing.