On July 14, two U.S. Supreme Court justices testified before Congress, requesting increased security funding for court members. Amy Coney Barrett stated that threats against her and other justices have significantly increased, impacting their personal and family lives.
Budget request increase of approximately 10%
The Supreme Court has applied for a total budget of $228 million for the next fiscal year, representing an approximate 10% increase from the previous year. Of this amount, about $18 million will be allocated for court building and facility maintenance.
Of the increased budget, $14.6 million is allocated to expand personal security details for each justice, adding six new security personnel per justice. An additional $2 million will be used to establish off-site residence security posts to reduce emergency response times and increase the number of Supreme Court officers.
Barrett mentioned the bulletproof vest experience.
Barrett said at the hearing that a few years ago, she came home wearing a bulletproof vest and had to explain to her 12-year-old son what it was and why she had to wear it. She also mentioned that in May of this year, her residence experienced a "false alarm," which police later confirmed was an intentional attempt to provoke a police response.
Criticism has intensified following the recent ruling.
The U.S. Marshals Service is responsible for the security of federal judges. According to agency data, 564 threat incidents were recorded during the federal fiscal year ending in September last year, up from the previous year. This figure includes all federal judges nationwide, with Supreme Court justices also among the targets.
This hearing took place just two weeks after the Supreme Court concluded its term with major rulings. During that time, the Court issued several significant decisions, including one that expanded President Donald Trump’s influence over federal regulatory agencies and another that struck down his broad tariff measures, both of which were followed by intense criticism directed at the justices personally.
Additional information: This is the first time since 2019 that a U.S. Supreme Court justice has testified before Congress. Chief Justice John Roberts stated in March this year that public criticism of judicial rulings is understandable, but directing hostility directly at judges personally is dangerous.