Supreme Court Justices Seek Additional Security Funding Amid Rising Threats

Supreme Court Justices Amy Coney Barrett and Elena Kagan will appear before Congress on Tuesday. They aim to secure tens of millions in additional security funding due to escalating threats against federal judges and their families.

Representing different wings of the court, Barrett and Kagan’s testimony is part of a $228 million budget request for the fiscal year beginning October 1. This marks a $20 million increase from prior funding. It’s the first time justices have testified before Congress since 2019. Barrett will likely address questions related to recent rulings that impacted former President Trump’s policies.

Supreme Court’s Security Funding Request

The judiciary has requested $920.9 million for fiscal year 2027, reflecting a 3.2% increase of $28.9 million over the 2026 budget. This increase aims to enhance security forces at federal courthouses.

The Supreme Court’s total funding request of $228 million includes a 10% increase to expand security measures. This includes $14.6 million for more protective activities, securing justices and families at their homes and during travel.

Budget documents propose funding for six additional agents per justice, plus an administrative position. This also includes 25 officers for security at the Supreme Court Building and four administrative roles to manage departmental growth.

Additionally, justices requested $6.5 million for a new visitor screening facility outside the court. This mirrors security measures taken at the Capitol with the 2008 visitor center opening.

A request for $2.3 million aims to employ engineers and developers to guard against cyber threats. Another $2 million is needed for an extra command post to better coordinate protection resources.

This command post is important for hiring and retaining Supreme Court police officers, improving emergency reaction times, and enhancing cost-efficiency and effectiveness in security operations.

The judiciary’s overall funding request for the fiscal year is $9.7 billion, a 4.5% increase over 2026’s $9.2 billion appropriation.

Reasons for the Security Funding Request

The funding request is driven by increased threats to justices and federal judges. Tensions escalated following the court’s 2022 reversal of Roe v. Wade. This led to an assassination attempt on Brett Kavanaugh and heightened security at justices’ homes.

Threats have persisted, with incidents directed at Barrett, including a “swatting” attempt in Virginia and a false bomb threat against her sister in South Carolina. The U.S. Marshals Service noted 564 threats in the past fiscal year. This reflects a rise from 509 threats in the previous year, affecting federal judges nationwide.

Congress must decide on these security funding requests by September 30, the deadline for finalizing fiscal year 2027 allocations.