WATCH: Justice Kagan speaks about importance of diverse Supreme Court clerk pool

Rep. Sanford Bishop Jr., D-Ga., asked Supreme Court Justices Elena Kagan and Amy Coney Barrett to “speak to the importance of having a diverse federal bench that's representative of the country's demographics,” during a House Appropriations subcommittee hearing Tuesday.

Bishop said that between President Donald Trump’s first and second terms, most of his appointments to Circuit and District Court judgeships have been male and white.

He also asked the justices to explain the importance of “experiential and other diversity” in the Supreme Court’s clerk pool.

Kagan said every justice runs their chambers differently, but added that she values “diversity of all kinds.” She said she has found throughout the years that it is “perfectly possible” to have diversity in the clerks she hires.

“The standards for Supreme Court clerks are very high,” Kagan said. “And we still have more qualified people, more exceptionally qualified people than any of us are able to take.”

“I find over time that it's good to have diversity of background and experience, and that that is very possible to do given our applicant pool now,” she said.

Members of the Supreme Court have not testified before Congress since 2019. Kagan and 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.

Newsletters

PBS News podcasts

Stream your PBS favorites with the PBS app

Find more from PBS News at

Subscribe to our YouTube channel