Justices Elena Kagan and Amy Coney Barrett are set to testify before lawmakers amid escalating threats against the court.
Read more The left sees a billionaire backlash — and an opening for a wealth tax
Supreme Court Justices Elena Kagan and Amy Coney Barrett are set to testify before Congress on Tuesday, a rare appearance that comes amid escalating threats and rhetoric against judges, including from President Donald Trump.
The hearing — the first time since 2019 that justices will testify on Capitol Hill — is scheduled to focus on the court’s request for a $16.6 million budget increase to bolster security for the justices at work and at home. But the court recently concluded its 2025-26 term with several blockbuster cases, and lawmakers’ questions could go in any number of directions.
Judicial security is a sensitive topic at a time when judges regularly face personal attacks from politicians and media figures who dislike their decisions. In May, Barrett’s home was targeted in an apparent “swatting” hoax, with a caller reporting gunshots to prompt a police response, according to news reports. In October, a Californian was sentenced to eight years in prison for attempting to assassinate Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh at his home.
In March, Chief Justice John Roberts condemned personal criticism aimed at judges. The comments came after Trump ramped up his critiques of the justices when they struck down many of his tariffs.
“Personally directed hostility is dangerous and has got to stop,” Roberts said during a talk at Rice University in Houston.
Kagan, a liberal, and Barrett, a conservative, are set to appear before the House Appropriations subcommittee that approves funding for the court. The court has requested a $20.6 million budget increase for fiscal 2027, including a $14.6 million increase to give each justice an additional six security agents, as well as 25 extra officers at the Supreme Court building.
Read more Andy Reid is voted the NFL’s top head coach by AP writers for the fourth straight season
The court is also asking for $2 million for a “residential security office” to coordinate security at the justices’ homes.
The joint appearance comes as the court’s conservative and liberal factions increasingly aim hard-hitting language at each other, in their opinions and sometimes beyond. The justices who will appear Tuesday, Kagan and Barrett, are among the court’s more measured members.
While the hearing is slated to focus on budget matters, House members have latitude to fire off questions on controversial topics including the court’s rulings. The high court’s recently concluded term included several hotly debated decisions, including one upholding birthright citizenship and another giving the president greater power over federal agencies.
In 2019, Kagan and Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr., appeared side by side before the same subcommittee, facing questions on matters including a possible Supreme Court ethics code and whether the court’s sessions should be televised.
The justices’ visits to Capitol Hill have been increasingly rare. Before this week’s testimony, there had been only three appearances by a sitting justice before Congress since 2011, according to a 2023 report by the Congressional Research Service. Before that, there was at least one appearance by a justice for 52 consecutive years.
Read more Swiss veteran Yann Sommer joins Club Brugge on a 3-year deal in a bid for a Champions League return
