WATCH: Justice Kagan makes case for Supreme Court relying on court police rather than U.S. Marshals

Rep. Nick LaLota, R-N.Y., asked Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan to explain why she said she said she wanted to decrease her reliance on the U.S. Marshals and increase her reliance on the court’s police during a House Appropriations subcommittee hearing Tuesday.

“This allows us to, whenever we have to make a policy decision about how to use our security personnel, it's our policy decision,” Kagan said. “We don't have to convince anybody else.”

Kagan added that it’s important to have a “stable workforce, so people who are providing you with security really know you.”

She said the Marshal Service has other responsibilities and “probably won't be committed to an individual justice or to the court full-time.”

LaLota said he agreed with Kagan that there should be a separation of powers and autonomy in the justices’ security.

Members of the Supreme Court have not testified before Congress since 2019. Kagan and Justice Coney Barrett’s appearances in both House and Senate hearings Tuesday are focused on requesting more funding for security, as threats and incidents of harassment and intimidation aimed at the judiciary have risen.

The justices are making their rare appearance after the Supreme Court wrapped up its latest term late last month with major decisions on birthright citizenship, transgender rights, executive authority, campaign finance rules and mail-in voting – all topics that may come up in lawmakers’ questioning, in addition to the security funds request.

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