For the first time since 2019, Supreme Court justices may cross the street to Capitol Hill to testify on their annual budget request.
The House Appropriations Committee’s Financial Services and General Government panel, which is in charge of the bill that funds the court, is working to schedule a time for the justices to appear before the subcommittee, according to FSGG Chair Dave Joyce’s (R-Ohio) office.
House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) has been calling for the justices to testify. DeLauro said Justice Elena Kagan told her the justices are open to appearing.
During a recent subcommittee markup, DeLauro noted that appropriators want to give the court the money it needs for security. But lawmakers need to first know more about where the funds would go. The high court requested an additional $14.6 million for security to protect the justices.
The FY2027 FSGG funding bill would provide $207 million for the Supreme Court, almost $44 million more than it received in the current fiscal year.
House Appropriations Committee Chair Tom Cole (R-Okla.) said the hearing would be good for the panel. But Cole said members would need to stick to questions about the administration of the court and refrain from asking about cases.
“It would be good for the American public, and I think it’d be good for the two parties, but not if one side or the other turned into some sort of circus,” Cole said.
