On March 6, the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Development Committee held a hearing on the role of transit programs in reauthorization of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21^st Century Act (MAP-21) which expires on September 30, 2014.  Committee Chairman Tim Johnson (D-SD) put an emphasis on the importance of the federal role in rural states where federal transit formula funds are essential for capital and operating needs.  Testimony on the importance of rural transit was provided by Barbara Klein, President of the Board of Directors of the Community Transportation Association of America (http://www NULL.ctaa NULL.org) and Executive Director of Prairie Hills Transit in South Dakota.  Click here (http://www NULL.banking NULL.senate NULL.gov/public/index NULL.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings NULL.Hearing&Hearing_ID=9ec4cb01-6e9e-4e25-9ba5-aa52aef336b5) to view a webcast of the hearing and read testimony provided by witnesses.