WASHINGTON — Two Supreme Court justices are heading to Capitol Hill Tuesday in what is considered a rare move — testifying directly before members of Congress in a push for more security funding.
Justices Elena Kagan and Amy Coney Barrett are set to appear before a House appropriations subcommittee as the nation’s highest court makes the case for significantly more money to protect its members amid a growing wave of threats against judges.
Federal judges across the country have experienced an alarming rise in threats and intimidation. Barrett herself was targeted in May when someone placed a fake emergency call — known as swatting — to police about her home. The incident was quickly resolved by her security detail working alongside local law enforcement.
The congressional hearing comes just two weeks after the Supreme Court’s conservative majority wrapped up a landmark term that included a ruling expanding President Donald Trump’s authority over federal regulatory agencies, as well as a separate decision striking down his sweeping tariffs — both of which generated fierce personal backlash.
This marks the first time justices have appeared before Congress to testify since 2019. While the two justices are expected to keep the conversation focused on the court’s budget needs, lawmakers may use the opportunity to raise a broader range of issues.
The Supreme Court is requesting $228 million for the upcoming fiscal year — roughly a 10% jump compared to the previous year. Of that total, nearly $15 million would be directed toward expanding personal protection for justices, including six additional security agents assigned to each justice.
An additional $2 million is earmarked for an off-site residential security post designed to speed up emergency response times, along with an increase in the number of Supreme Court police officers on staff.
The U.S. Marshals Service, which is charged with protecting federal judges, recorded 564 threats during the government fiscal year that ended this past September — a rise from the previous year’s total. Those figures cover threats made against the hundreds of federal judges nationwide, and the nine-member Supreme Court has not been spared.
Beyond the swatting incident at Barrett’s home in May, her sister was the target of a bomb threat last year in Charleston, South Carolina, according to police. No explosive device was found. Back in 2022, following the leak of a draft opinion that would ultimately overturn Roe v. Wade, a man was taken into custody near the home of Justice Brett Kavanaugh carrying weapons and zip ties.
Chief Justice John Roberts has spoken out strongly against the escalating threats facing judges across the country. During a speech in March, he acknowledged that disagreeing with court rulings is a normal part of public discourse, but drew a firm line at personal attacks — calling hostility directed at individual judges “dangerous, and it’s got to stop.”
