Supreme Court Justices Elena Kagan and Amy Coney Barrett are scheduled to testify before Congress on July 14, 2026, marking the first time justices have appeared before lawmakers since 2019. The hearing will focus on the court's fiscal 2027 budget request, which includes a $14.6 million increase for security.
The justices will appear before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government, the same panel that heard from Kagan and Justice Samuel Alito in 2019. They will also testify before the Senate Appropriations Committee, according to Politico.
The last Senate hearing with sitting justices was in 2011, when former Justices Stephen Breyer and Antonin Scalia discussed the judiciary's constitutional role. The court's budget request for FY2027 totals $207 million, nearly $44 million more than the current fiscal year.
Security Concerns and Political Context
The hearing comes amid heightened security threats against justices, including an assassination attempt against Justice Brett Kavanaugh in June 2022 and protests outside conservative justices' homes following the Dobbs v. Women’s Health Organization decision. House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro has called for transparency on how funds will be allocated, while Committee Chair Tom Cole (R-Okla.) emphasized the need to avoid politicizing the hearing.
Recent Rulings and Judicial Dynamics
The justices' testimony follows the Supreme Court's final opinions for the 2025-26 term, which included rulings on birthright citizenship, the Federal Reserve's independence, and the FTC's leadership. Kagan and Barrett were on opposite sides of key decisions, reflecting the court's ideological divisions.
Kagan, appointed by President Barack Obama (D), and Barrett, appointed by President Donald Trump (R), will address lawmakers as the court faces scrutiny over its budget and security needs. The hearing is expected to focus strictly on funding, with justices refraining from discussing pending cases.