Barrett: I Had to Explain My Bulletproof Vest to Son

Congress heard rare testimony on Tuesday from two Supreme Court justices, and the subject wasn't legal theory—it was safety. Elena Kagan and Amy Coney Barrett appeared before a House Appropriations subcommittee to defend the court's request for a sizable security boost, including more bodyguards for each justice, additional officers at the court, and a new office to coordinate protection at their homes. They also were testifying before a Senate committee in the afternoon. Some highlights from the House testimony:

• Kagan told lawmakers that threats against justices are projected to jump 38% this year, on top of last year's 25% rise, reports Reuters. "For some of us, those threats have come very close, and all of us live with the knowledge that they may again materialize," she said.

• Barrett told lawmakers the climate has forced her and her children "to think about and see things that children should not have to see or think about," citing hoax emergency calls and anonymous deliveries aimed at intimidation, reports the Washington Post.
• But perhaps the most personal moment came when Barrett recalled her son seeing her bring home a bulletproof vest, per the New York Times. "I didn't expect that performing this service would put me in the position of explaining to my children what a bulletproof vest was, why I had to wear one," she said.