Supreme Court Justices Elena Kagan and Amy Coney Barrett appeared before House lawmakers on Tuesday to request a budget increase for judiciary security, as reported by The Guardian.
During the hearing, the justices confirmed that each member of the nation's highest court currently receives between four and eight security personnel.
Barrett explained that the protective coverage is dynamic and escalates during periods of heightened risk.
Kagan indicated the court intends to expand these measures as resources allow.
"We'd like to increase that over time when we get to our full staffing needs," she said.
Lawmakers Stress Need for Safety and Independence
Representative Steny Hoyer, ranking member of the appropriations subcommittee, noted that such congressional appearances by sitting justices had not occurred since 2019.
"With a deeply divided country and increasingly violent rhetoric being directed at judges, Congress must provide sufficient funding to ensure the safety of all judicial personnel," Hoyer said in his opening statement.
Hoyer also emphasized Congress's role in safeguarding judicial independence. "Part of that is making certain that there is adequate funding for the public defenders," he added.
Representative Rosa DeLauro addressed the court's ethical guidelines following scrutiny of Justice Clarence Thomas over unreported luxury travel.
She called for "increased financial disclosure requirements and a binding, enforceable code of ethics."
DeLauro described the court's current voluntary code of conduct as "woefully insufficient" and stressed the need for public confidence in judicial rulings.
"This to provide the public with the reassurance that they deserve that when a decision is handed down, it is the result of rigorous constitutional analysis, not private parochial interests," she said.
Justices Share Personal Security Concerns
Barrett detailed how her security changed after the draft of the Dobbs decision was leaked in 2022.
Her security detail sent her home with a bulletproof vest, which her 12-year-old son saw.
"I didn't expect that performing this service was going to put me in the position of explaining to my children what a bulletproof vest was and why I had to wear one," she said.
Barrett also disclosed that her residence was recently targeted in a swatting prank.
Her teenage son opened the door to find police cars responding to a false report of gunshots.
She credited the permanent Supreme Court police presence at her home with quickly resolving the situation.
Both justices stated they do not know the source of the 2022 Dobbs leak. Kagan said the threat of public exposure stifles internal debates.
"If you think that those views are going to appear on the front page of the newspaper, you pull back," she said.
