admin
Two Supreme Court justices walked onto Capitol Hill this week to ask Congress for a bigger budget. Justices Elena Kagan and Amy Coney Barrett testified before the House appropriations subcommittee. The main point was clear: threats against the Court have jumped, and the justices want more money for security.
What happened at the hearing
The Court asked for about $228 million for its fiscal year budget — roughly $20 million more than last year. A large chunk of that increase is for security. The budget seeks roughly $14.6 million to add about six security agents per justice and money to open a residential security office to respond faster to incidents at justices’ homes. Sitting justices testifying like this is rare. It was the first time since 2019 that current justices came to Capitol Hill in person to request money.
Why the Court is pushing this request
The justices pointed to a clear rise in threats. Government data show hundreds of threats to federal judges in recent years. Justice Barrett told lawmakers the threats have hit her family, saying she even had to explain a bulletproof vest to one of her children. Justice Kagan warned that “for some of us, those threats have come very close.” Those are not talking points. They are the lived facts of judges who sit on the highest bench in the land.
Politics, optics, and common-sense oversight
This was always going to be a tricky trip. The Court asking for more security while it faces intense public scrutiny makes for bad optics. Critics will scream favoritism or secrecy. Supporters should push back — violence and threats must be stopped — but conservatives should also demand plain accountability. If taxpayers are being asked for millions more, the House and Senate ought to get clear answers about how many officers are on duty now, how the new “residential security office” will work, and how the Court coordinates with the U.S. Marshals and Supreme Court Police. No regal protection details. Just straightforward oversight.
Bottom line
Lawmakers must do two things at once: protect judges from real danger and protect the public from unchecked spending. Republicans ought to defend the rule of law and the safety of jurists. But defending the Court does not mean rubber-stamping every dollar without questions. Congress should fund legitimate security needs — after asking the right questions and demanding transparency. The justices deserve to be safe. The American people deserve to know how their money is spent.
