In an appearance before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to defend President Bush’s recently released FY 2007 budget request, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice announced plans to fund more exchanges in Iran. Rice explained that the State Department plans “to request $75 million in supplemental funding for the year 2006 to support democracy in Iran. That money would enable us to increase our support for democracy and improve our radio broadcasting, begin satellite television broadcasts, increase the contacts between our peoples through expanded fellowships and scholarships for Iranian students, and to bolster our public diplomacy efforts.” She added, “In addition, I will be notifying that we plan to reprogram funds in 2007 to support the democratic aspirations of the Iranian people.”