Supreme Court Showdown: Justices Barrett & Kagan Testify Live on Capitol Hill Over Court Budget—What’s at Stake

Supreme Court Justices Amy Coney Barrett and Elena Kagan will take the witness table on Capitol Hill Tuesday, marking the court’s first public appearance before Congress since 2019 and the first two-justice panel in seven years. The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government is expected to press the pair on the Judiciary’s $9.7 billion fiscal-2027 budget request, which includes nearly $921 million for courthouse security—up $29 million from last year and $15 million earmarked specifically to guard the justices and their families. Security dominates the agenda after a 57 percent jump in “significant” threats against federal judges in 2025 and a series of headline-grabbing incidents: a swatting attempt at Barrett’s Virginia home in May, a bomb threat at her sister’s residence last year, and the 2022 armed plot against Justice Brett Kavanaugh. Barrett is expected to recount wearing a bullet-resistant vest after an unspecified threat, while Kagan—who has served since 2010—will frame the budget pitch around rising cyber risks and courthouse protests. Lawmakers from both parties signal they will venture beyond dollars and cents. Anticipated flashpoints include: • Ethics reform and disclosure rules after revelations of justices accepting luxury travel. • Internal safeguards against leaks following the 2022 draft-opinion breach. • Prediction-market betting on Supreme Court outcomes and whether the court will police employees’ trades. • The justices’ votes in the recently concluded term, which saw Barrett side with the liberal bloc to preserve birthright citizenship and strike down global tariffs, angering some conservative activists. Democrats are likely to quiz Barrett on abortion and voting-rights precedents, while Republicans may press Kagan over regulatory-power dissents that could hamper the next administration. Still, veteran court-watchers doubt either justice will stray far from prepared statements, noting that past budget hearings have produced more headlines than substantive answers. For the Supreme Court, however, even a tightly scripted appearance carries risk. Public trust in the institution sits near a 30-year low, and polling shows majorities favor stronger ethics rules. A circumspect performance could blunt criticism, but evasive answers may fuel new calls for legislative oversight. The subcommittee gavels in at 10 a.m. ET, with live streaming on C-SPAN and major news sites. Written testimony will post to the committee’s website shortly before the session begins, giving the public—and potential protesters outside the marble courthouse—the first look at how the highest court plans to protect itself in an increasingly volatile political climate.