Supreme Court Justices Amy Coney Barrett and Elena Kagan testified before Congress on Tuesday regarding the court's fiscal-2027 budget request [1].

This rare appearance by sitting justices highlights the escalating security risks facing the judiciary and the increasing tension between the court and legislative funding bodies.

The testimony began at 10 a.m. ET on Capitol Hill [2]. The justices appeared first before the House Appropriations Committee and later before the Senate Appropriations Committee [3]. The primary goal of the hearings is to secure discretionary funding for the court's operations in 2027 [4].

A central point of the request involves the need for a larger security budget. The justices said a rise in threats to the judiciary is the driving force behind the need for more resources [5].

Financial figures provided during the proceedings vary across reports. Some records indicate the overall budget request is between $225 million [6] and roughly $230 million [7]. Other reports suggest a much larger scale of funding, claiming the total discretionary request for fiscal year 2027 is nearly $9.7 billion [8], with $921 million specifically allocated for security [9].

The appearance follows a contentious term for the Supreme Court, adding a layer of political scrutiny to the fiscal discussions [10]. While the justices focused on the administrative and safety needs of the court, the hearings took place against a backdrop of ongoing debate over the court's role and security protocols.

“The justices said a rise in threats to the judiciary is the driving force behind the need for more resources.”

The decision to send sitting justices to Capitol Hill for budget hearings is a significant departure from standard judicial norms. It suggests that the court views the current threat environment as so severe that standard administrative requests are no longer sufficient. By appearing in person, the court is attempting to humanize the security risks and create direct political pressure on appropriators to prioritize judicial protection in the 2027 budget.