Supreme Court justices push Congress to boost security funding: “Threats have come very close”

Supreme Court Justices Elena Kagan and Amy Coney Barrett urged Congress on Tuesday to provide additional funding to enhance protection for the justices as they face a rise in threats, with Kagan warning that the “threats have come very close” for some members of the high court.

Kagan and Barrett made rare back-to-back appearances before House and Senate subcommittees to testify about the Supreme Court’s budget request for the next fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1. Their testimony came just weeks after the Supreme Court finished handing down decisions to wrap its latest term, which included blockbuster rulings on immigration, voting rights, executive power and President Trump’s effort to restrict birthright citizenship.

The Supreme Court is seeking more than $228 million from congressional appropriators, an increase of more than $20 million. Part of the court’s funding request includes an additional $14.6 million to expand security for the justices provided by the Supreme Court Police, which would allow for an additional six agents per member of the court, according to budget documents. The money would also be used for travel when the justices are outside of the Washington, D.C., region.

Each justice is currently assigned between four and eight officers as part of their security details, Barrett and Kagan said, but that may increase if a member of the court is facing a particular threat or is participating in more public events.

Read more: CBS News