Supreme Court justices to testify on Hill about budget: Report
Supreme Court justices are reportedly preparing to testify before congressional appropriations committees later this month for the first time sence 2019,as the Court seeks increased funding for fiscal 2027-especially for security in response to rising threats to the judiciary. Sources say a few justices could appear before the Senate Appropriations Committee on May 20, though the committee’s calendar currently does not list a hearing for that date.
The House Appropriations Committee is also interested in hearing from the justices. House ranking member Rosa DeLauro has urged them to answer questions, while chairman Tom Cole said he’s open to the idea but doesn’t want the session to turn into a “circus” focused on high-profile cases involving the Trump management. Meanwhile, the House and Senate plan multiple appropriations hearings for federal agencies’ fiscal 2027 budget requests after returning to session next week.
The Supreme Court’s discretionary request totals more than $228 million (about $20 million more than the prior year), with $14.6 million earmarked for protection and security. An additional $18 million for building and grounds includes funding for the design of an exterior visitor screening facility, recommended after physical security assessments. The article also notes that while justices’ Capitol Hill appearances have been rare for the past seven years, such appearances were more common in earlier decades, and identifies previous testimony in 2019 (House) and 2011 (Senate).
An undisclosed number of Supreme Court justices are reportedly prepared to testify before Congress later this month about their budget request for the first time since 2019.
A few justices will testify in front of the Senate Appropriations Committee on May 20, sources told Punchbowl News on Thursday. As of now, the committee’s calendar does not list a hearing for that date with any of the nine justices.
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The House Appropriations Committee also wishes to hear from the justices, with ranking member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) calling for them to cross the street and answer some questions. She heard from Justice Elena Kagan that they are willing to testify.
House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK) is also open to the idea, but he told Punchbowl News he doesn’t want to see the hearing devolve “into some sort of circus” with questions about the court’s high-profile cases that may involve the Trump administration.
After returning to session next week, the House and Senate will hold multiple appropriations hearings for federal agencies’ fiscal 2027 budget requests.
The Supreme Court is requesting increased funding to bolster security, among other purposes, in light of rising threats to the judiciary.
The high court’s budget request for the upcoming fiscal year totals more than $228 million in discretionary funding, up roughly $20 million from the prior year. Of the total, $14.6 million is reserved for protection and security.
Over a third of $18 million in funds that are intended to go toward taking care of the court building and grounds is set aside for an exterior visitor screening facility design, which was recommended following physical security assessments.
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While appearances from justices on Capitol Hill haven’t happened in the past seven years, they were much more common in the past. Between 1960 and 2011, justices appeared at congressional hearings at least once per year.
In 2019, Justices Samuel Alito and Kagan testified about the Supreme Court’s budget request for fiscal 2020 at a House subcommittee hearing. The last time a sitting justice appeared at a Senate hearing was in 2011, when Justices Stephen Breyer and Antonin Scalia testified about the constitutional role of federal judges. Breyer has since retired, and Scalia died in 2016.
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