{"id":2629806,"date":"2026-07-14T20:07:01","date_gmt":"2026-07-15T00:07:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/five-takeaways-from-the-supreme-courts-big-day-on-capitol-hill\/"},"modified":"2026-07-14T20:13:49","modified_gmt":"2026-07-15T00:13:49","slug":"five-takeaways-from-the-supreme-courts-big-day-on-capitol-hill","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/five-takeaways-from-the-supreme-courts-big-day-on-capitol-hill\/","title":{"rendered":"Five takeaways from the Supreme Court&#8217;s big day on Capitol Hill"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ffive-takeaways-from-the-supreme-courts-big-day-on-capitol-hill%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2629806&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Justices Elena Kagan and Amy Coney barrett testified before Congress to advocate for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/hochul-seeks-to-expands-new-yorks-hate-crime-laws\/\" title=\"Hochul aims to broaden NY&#039;s hate crime legislation\">increased security funding<\/a> for the Supreme Court, citing rising threats following controversial decisions and leaks. During hearings with both House and senate appropriations committees, they discussed topics including the Court\u2019s security needs, the emergency docket process, ethical standards, and the 2022 Dobbs draft opinion leak.The Court requested a $228 million budget for fiscal 2027, a 10% increase from the previous year, with additional funds for personal protection of justices. Both justices highlighted the growth in threats and security measures since the Dobbs leak, such as improved protocols and cybersecurity. They also addressed the slow pace of transparency regarding emergency rulings, with Justice Kagan noting efforts to improve explanations.Democrats pressed for a formal ethics enforcement mechanism,while Barrett expressed concerns about the complexity of enforcing such standards,whereas Kagan was more supportive. on the leak investigation, both <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/syria-denies-holding-american-journalist-captive-after-biden-admin-confirms-efforts-for-his-release\/\" title=\"Syria Denies Holding American Journalist Captive After Biden Admin Confirms Efforts For His Release\">acknowledged ongoing efforts<\/a> but no new definitive information. Additionally, lawmakers urged justices to testify more regularly on budget matters, with Kagan expressing hope for more frequent appearances.The upcoming Supreme Court term begins in October 2023,following a <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >busy past term involving major rulings<\/a> on sports,citizenship,and other issues.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Justices <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/elena-kagan\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"4303\">Elena Kagan<\/a> and <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/amy-coney-barrett\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"747\">Amy Coney Barrett<\/a> made their case to a pair of panels in the House and Senate for increased security funding for the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/supreme-court\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"203\">Supreme Court<\/a>, but they also fielded other questions about their work during their rare jaunt to Congress.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Supreme Court\u2019s security, emergency docket, code of ethics, and leaks were among the topics asked about by members of both the House Appropriations Committee and the Senate Appropriations Committee in separate hearings held hours apart. Kagan and Barrett offered a rare opportunity for lawmakers to question sitting justices fresh off their recently concluded term, which included several closely watched cases, but the Supreme Court\u2019s request for <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/supreme-court\/4647324\/amy-coney-barrett-elena-kagan-supreme-court-security-funding\/\">increased security funds<\/a> was the main reason for their appearance.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/supreme-court\/4647324\/amy-coney-barrett-elena-kagan-supreme-court-security-funding\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Amy Coney Barrett describes increased threats in plea for more Supreme Court security funding<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/supreme-court\/4647578\/elena-kagan-tribute-lindsey-graham\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Elena Kagan pays tribute to \u2018untimely passing\u2019 of Lindsey Graham: \u2018Made me look funny\u2019<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/supreme-court\/4645663\/conservatives-congress-constitutional-amendment-supreme-court-nine-justices\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Conservatives urge Congress to pass constitutional amendment keeping Supreme Court at nine justices<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<h2 id=\"h-justices-stress-increased-severity-in-security-threats-warrants-additional-funding\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Justices stress increased severity in security threats warrants additional funding<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Supreme Court has asked for a roughly $228 million budget for fiscal 2027, a 10% increase from the previous year\u2019s budget, including $14.6 million to expand the justices\u2019 personal protection by adding six more agents per justice. During both House and Senate hearings on Tuesday, Barrett discussed how after facing increased security threats following the May 2022 leak of a draft opinion of the decision in <em>Dobbs v. Jackson Women\u2019s Health Organization<\/em>, her security detail sent her home with a bulletproof vest.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI carried it into my house, put it into my bedroom, dropped it down on a table, turned around, and my 12-year-old son was standing in the doorway of my bedroom, and he wanted to know what it was and why I had it,\u201d Barrett said. \u201cI didn\u2019t know how to respond because maybe I lack imagination, but I didn\u2019t expect that performing this service was going to put me in the position of explaining to my children what a bulletproof vest was and why I had to wear one.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Barrett, who was appointed to the high court by President Donald Trump in 2020, also discussed the swatting incident at her home earlier this year, saying one of her teenage sons \u201copened the door to go out with friends and saw in our street it was full of police cars who had responded to a false report of gunshots and raised voices in my home.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Kagan, who was appointed to the Supreme Court by former President Barack Obama in 2010, discussed how security needs for the justices have grown exponentially during her time on the high court, as threats have grown both in number and intensity.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhen personal threats increased following the <em>Dobbs<\/em> leak, we expanded our residential security and threat assessment activities. Similarly, as online attacks grew in number and sophistication, we requested additional cybersecurity resources. Our strategy has been consistent across security functions: expand incrementally but effectively to meet evolving security challenges,\u201d Kagan said.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-emergency-docket-still-a-concern-for-members-of-congress\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Emergency docket still a concern for members of Congress<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While the use of the emergency docket has slowed in recent months compared to the first year of the Trump administration, several members of both committees still had questions over the influx in rulings with little to no explanation that the justices have issued on an emergency basis.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD) asked about the \u201csubstantial increase\u201d in cases on the emergency docket, and whether that negatively affects transparency for the high court. Kagan acknowledged the complexity of the emergency docket, but she noted that the Supreme Court has made progress on better explaining rulings it issues on the emergency docket.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe reason I think it\u2019s probably not appropriate, at least not now, to call it the shadow docket is because we have done, I think, a better job in the recent past of where appropriate \u2014 and it\u2019s not always appropriate \u2014 but where appropriate, explaining ourselves at least to a moderate degree,\u201d Kagan said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI think that as we\u2019ve gotten more experienced in these constant requests that are coming to us for emergency relief, that we better recognize that at least sometimes there is a need for additional information, and we have issued opinions and sometimes majority and dissenting opinions accordingly,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-democrats-hammer-justices-on-code-of-ethics\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Democrats hammer justices on code of ethics<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While the hearing was centered on the Supreme Court\u2019s funding request for the next fiscal year, Democrats in both the House and Senate hearings pushed the two justices on whether they plan to enact an enforcement mechanism for the high court\u2019s code of conduct. The lack of one has been a key talking point for Democrats against the high court for several years.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) asked Kagan and Barrett about the potential of adopting a mechanism to enforce ethics standards for the justices, but Barrett pushed back by noting how complex that task would be, while also arguing that her fellow justices already follow the current code of ethics.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt\u2019s just tricky to figure out who would be the entity to enforce such a code,\u201d Barrett said, explaining the concerns over separation of powers and how an appeals process would work.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI\u2019m not saying that it would be impossible to have an enforcement mechanism, but I think it\u2019s been complicated to figure out exactly what that would be, given the position of the Supreme Court within our constitutional structure and within the judicial branch of government,\u201d Barrett added. \u201cBut I do want to stress, ranking member Reed, that none of my colleagues, and certainly not I, think ourselves above the law or above ethics in any way.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-26\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-5\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Kagan appeared more open to the creation of an enforcement mechanism, acknowledging the complexity but also the benefit to public perception that one would offer.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI have come to rest on the need for an enforcement mechanism, if the enforcement mechanism is of the right kind. It\u2019s not because I think that we\u2019re ignoring the code of conduct. I do not think that at all,\u201d Kagan said. \u201cBut it\u2019s important for public perception of the court. I think it\u2019s also important to give the justices a way to show that some of the charges against them are so much poppycock.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-no-new-information-on-the-2022-dobbs-draft-opinion-leak\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">No new information on the 2022 <em>Dobbs<\/em> draft opinion leak<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some lawmakers also pressed the justices about the 2022 <em>Dobbs<\/em> leak, which sparked some of the most well-documented threats against the Supreme Court in recent years. Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-TN) asked about the leak, and what has been done to combat future leaks.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Barrett said the high court has implemented improved protocols to better track who has access to certain documents, along with the addition of a requirement that employees of the high court sign nondisclosure agreements and protections for whistleblowers. Kagan underscored the importance of keeping the high court\u2019s deliberations private, and she condemned the leaks.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI think it is a problem that has frustrated every single one of the justices because of the security issues, but because it\u2019s just not the way a court should operate and not the way a court can operate if it wants to have the kind of deliberations that are the backbone of what we do,\u201d Kagan said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sen. Jon Husted (R-OH) also asked the justices if the Supreme Court is \u201cany closer to knowing\u201d how the <em>Dobbs<\/em> leak happened. Kagan was unable to provide any new information on the leak, other than a previously released report that did not come to a conclusion over who leaked the draft opinion. But she stressed that \u201cit\u2019s not that we\u2019ve closed the books on it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIf we get any further information, we will pursue it till the end, and I know that the marshal of a court, who was in charge of that investigation, feels that that is her responsibility. As to whether it will happen, I don\u2019t know,\u201d Kagan said.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-house-and-senate-want-justices-to-testify-about-budget-concerns-more-frequently\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">House and Senate want justices to testify about budget concerns more frequently<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Another concern echoed by both congressional committees was the rarity of Supreme Court justices testifying before them to discuss their budgetary needs. Members of both the House and Senate committees urged the justices to appear more frequently at appropriations hearings. Prior to Tuesday, the last time justices had testified before a House committee was in 2019, while the last time they appeared before a Senate committee, not counting confirmation hearings, was in 2011.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During her opening remarks at the Senate hearing, Kagan said she hopes they can \u201cdo it more than once every three decades\u201d and that it \u201cdoesn\u2019t seem too much to ask for.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/supreme-court\/4647324\/amy-coney-barrett-elena-kagan-supreme-court-security-funding\/\" type=\"post\" id=\"4647324\">AMY CONEY BARRETT DESCRIBES INCREASED THREATS IN PLEA FOR MORE SUPREME COURT SECURITY FUNDING<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Kagan returned to testify before Congress for the first time since appearing before the same House committee in 2019, while Barrett returned to Congress for the first time since her confirmation hearing before the Senate in 2020.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Supreme Court term ended on June 30, with final opinions being released in cases involving <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/supreme-court\/4568174\/supreme-court-upholds-ban-biological-men-womens-sports\/\">bans on biological males in women\u2019s sports<\/a> and Trump\u2019s <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/supreme-court\/4593917\/trump-birthright-citizenship-executive-order-struck-down\/\">birthright citizenship order<\/a>. The high court will return for its next term in October, with that term set to continue through the end of June 2027.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Justices seek more security funds, discuss ethics and leaks<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2638,"featured_media":2629807,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/kagan-barrett-capitol-hill.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[32592,82729,40917,32275,82728],"class_list":["post-2629806","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-capitol-hill","tag-judicial-highlights","tag-legal-decisions","tag-supreme-court","tag-u-s-justice"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/kagan-barrett-capitol-hill.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2629806","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2638"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2629806"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2629806\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2629810,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2629806\/revisions\/2629810"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2629807"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2629806"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2629806"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2629806"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}