In dramatic and rare testimony before Congress, Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett highlighted the growing concerns about judges' security by recounting the moment she had to explain to her 12-year-old son why she brought home a bulletproof vest to protect herself from death threats.

Security threats "have required my children to think about and see things that children should not have to see or think about," Barrett testified Tuesday.

The emotional testimony occurred during a hearing on the Supreme Court's increased budget for the 2027 fiscal year, which includes a boost in funding for security amid an uptick in threats against the high court.

Barrett herself was the victim of a swatting incident in Virginia earlier this year, and recalled how one day she was required to take home a bullet-proof vest, which her 12-year-old son saw and questioned.

"I didn't know how to respond because maybe I lack imagination, but I didn't expect that performing this service was going to put me in the position of explaining to my children what a bulletproof vest was and why I had to wear one," she told lawmakers.

Barrett emphasized how her life changed after the 2022 Dobbs decision was released, which overturned the historic ruling in Roe v. Wade, which boosted threats against her and the other conservative justices.

In one incident, someone falsely reported that they heard gunfire outside of Barrett's home and that her son and his friends were the first to discover the police on her street. 

"I was very, very grateful that I had Supreme Court police outside my home because they were able to stop and meet with and explain to the county police that it had been a false alarm," Barrett said. "So the police did not actually attempt to enter our home."

Barrett testified alongside liberal Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan. The justices are asking for $225.1 million for fiscal year 2027, which includes $14.6 million for security enhancements, though the majority will go to salaries.

The judiciary branch is also asking for a total of $9.7 billion, which includes $921 million for security enhancements, and the total is approximately $500 million more than 2026.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.