Supreme Court Justices Testify on $228M FY2027 Budget

Supreme Court Justices Elena Kagan and Amy Coney Barrett testified before Congress on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, to defend the court's budget request for the upcoming fiscal year. The rare appearance before House and Senate appropriations subcommittees marked the first time sitting justices have presented the court's budget to Congress since 2019. The central focus of the hearings was a proposed $228 million budget for fiscal year 2027, which represents an increase of approximately $20 million over current funding.

A significant portion of the requested increase is allocated to security enhancements, driven by a reported rise in threats against the justices. The budget includes $14.6 million to expand the Supreme Court Police force and bolster security for justices at their homes and during travel. Justice Barrett has personally been the target of security incidents, including a swatting attempt at her residence. The proposal also seeks $6.5 million to begin designing a new visitor security screening facility outside the courthouse and $2.3 million for cybersecurity personnel to protect the court's systems from evolving digital threats.

While the hearings were formally dedicated to...