Supreme Court Associate Justices Elena Kagan and Amy Coney Barrett testified before a congressional appropriations committee on Tuesday to request additional security funding [1].
The appearance marks a rare instance of justices testifying before Congress. The request comes as the court seeks to address a surge in threats targeting members of the judiciary and their families [3].
During the hearing, the justices discussed the Supreme Court’s total budget request for fiscal year 2027, which is $225 million [1]. Beyond the general operating budget, the court is specifically asking for an additional $14.6 million to bolster security measures [1].
The need for increased funding is tied to a significant rise in hostile activity. According to the U.S. Marshals, there have been more than 370 threats reported [1]. This increase in volatility has prompted the court to seek enhanced protections for the justices and their immediate households [3].
There were conflicting reports regarding the specific venue of the testimony. Some reports identified the hearing as taking place before the Senate Appropriations Committee [1], while other accounts cited a House Appropriations panel [2].
Despite the different political leanings of the two justices, they appeared together to present a unified front on the necessity of the funding. The request focuses on the practical safety of the court's members rather than ideological disputes, a rare point of consensus for the high court in a public forum [3].
“The Supreme Court’s total budget request for fiscal year 2027 is $225 million.”
The joint appearance of Justices Kagan and Barrett signals that the threat environment surrounding the judiciary has reached a level that transcends partisan divides. By requesting a specific $14.6 million increase for security, the Court is formally acknowledging that existing protections are insufficient to handle the current volume of threats, potentially leading to a permanent shift in how the justices interact with the public.
