Amy Coney Barrett Warns Congress That Threats Against Federal Judges Reach Critical Levels

Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett disclosed to lawmakers that threat levels against her and other federal judges are "really high," delivering her testimony alongside Justice Elena Kagan during rare appearances before Congress regarding the Court's budget needs. The justices requested $228.4 million for fiscal 2027, a 10 percent increase from the prior year's appropriation, with substantially higher allocations directed toward security enhancements.

Barrett addressed the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government on Tuesday, emphasizing that abstract statistics about threats become starkly real when experienced firsthand. She detailed receiving a bulletproof vest following a security breach involving leaked information about an abortion-related opinion. Barrett also described becoming a target of a swatting attack, in which a caller falsely reported a shooting and raised voices in her residence to emergency responders. These incidents underscore the escalating security challenges facing members of the nation's highest court.

The justices' congressional appearance marked the first Supreme Court testimony on budget matters since 2019, when Kagan and Justice Samuel Alito addressed the same subcommittee. This year's hearing proceeded under different circumstances: Barrett and Kagan appeared before both the House and Senate Appropriations committees, with the Senate hearing occurring as lawmakers prepared to memorialize Senator Lindsey Graham, whose desk was draped in memorial cloth following his death. The budget request includes more than $14 million specifically for expanded protective activities at justices' residences and families.

The fiscal 2027 appropriation reflects growing concerns within the judiciary about escalating threats, prompting lawmakers to examine whether current security measures sufficiently protect sitting justices. The increased funding represents a significant shift in how the Court allocates resources, signaling institutional recognition that security infrastructure requires substantial investment to safeguard judicial independence.