Supreme Court Justices Barrett and Kagan Set for Congressional Testimony Amid Security Concerns
Sandego.net – The federal judiciary is making an uncommon personal appeal to lawmakers this week, seeking tens of millions of dollars in enhanced security funding. At the forefront of this effort is Justice Amy Coney Barrett, who has emerged as a compelling voice to discuss the mounting threats facing the judicial branch. Since her appointment to the Supreme Court by President Donald Trump nearly six years ago, Barrett has experienced several notable security incidents, including a recent swatting attempt at her residence in May that was successfully prevented when authorities identified her as the intended target.
“She has firsthand experience with this issue,” remarked Gabe Roth, head of Fix the Court, an organization championing judicial transparency and reform. “She’s a smart pick for the testimony.”
A Divisive Term and Unusual Circumstances
Barrett’s upcoming testimony comes at a particularly significant moment. Just days before the congressional hearings on Tuesday, the Supreme Court concluded a contentious term during which it struck down Trump’s attempts to terminate birthright citizenship and implement worldwide tariffs. Although Barrett is generally considered aligned with the court’s conservative faction, she has faced considerable pushback from right-leaning circles for her support of these rulings.
It remains uncertain whether this political friction will surface during the hearings. According to several congressional aides speaking with CNN, lawmakers are crafting questions designed to push both Barrett and Justice Elena Kagan—representing the court’s liberal wing—well beyond their usual budget-related talking points.
The Supreme Court’s appearances before Capitol Hill are relatively uncommon. The last justice to testify before Congress did so in 2019. Typically, these off-the-bench appearances follow heavily scripted formats, with federal judges serving as moderators before audiences displaying considerable deference.
Security Funding Requests and Recent Incidents
Like all branches of the federal government, the Supreme Court depends on Congress for the majority of its budget. This year, amid a documented surge in both physical and cyber threats, the judicial branch is requesting substantial additional resources. The judiciary has asked for approximately $921 million dedicated to security—a $29 million boost compared to the previous year—primarily for frontline security personnel stationed at federal courthouses.
The proposal also includes an increase of nearly $15 million to expand the Supreme Court Police’s capacity to safeguard justices and their families, including at their private residences. The US Marshals Service assumed responsibility for protecting justices’ homes in 2022 following the extraordinary leak of a draft opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade, though this arrangement was never meant to be permanent.
Overall, the judiciary is seeking $9.7 billion in discretionary funding, representing a 4.5 percent increase over last year. Security incidents involving judges that the Marshals Service categorized as “significant concern” rose by 57 percent in 2025—a statistic that Barrett and Kagan are expected to emphasize during their testimony.
Barrett has been connected to multiple close calls that have since become public knowledge. In May, police in Washington’s Virginia suburbs responded to what they initially believed was a “fictitious” gunfire report at a Supreme Court justice’s home. CNN subsequently reported that Barrett’s residence was the target, although neither the justice nor the court has officially confirmed the incident. Additionally, Barrett’s sister’s home in South Carolina faced a bomb threat the previous year. Barrett also discussed publicly in 2024 being sent home from the Supreme Court wearing a bulletproof vest, though the court never clarified the circumstances behind this protective measure.
The most prominent security incident involving a Supreme Court justice occurred in 2022, when a Californian named Sophie Roske—who now identifies as such—traveled across the nation and appeared in Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s neighborhood carrying a bag filled with firearms and other weapons, intending to assassinate the justice. Roske received a sentence of slightly more than eight years in prison along with lifetime supervised release.
Roth expressed support for the increased funding, noting it “will help them hire the right amount of personnel and protection that they sadly but definitely need.” However, he added that “it’s a precipitous increase and lawmakers have every right to want to examine rather than just giving the justices a blank check.”
The judiciary’s 2027 budget request represents the latest in a series of appeals for enhanced security funding, resulting in a noticeably stronger security presence whenever the justices travel.
