Can Congress turn off the lights at the Supreme Court | The Receipts - Dataspheres AI

Can Congress turn off the lights at the Supreme Court THE RECEIPTS Can Congress turn off the lights at the Supreme Court November 13, 2026 What Samuel Alit...

Can Congress turn off the lights at the Supreme Court THE RECEIPTS Can Congress turn off the lights at the Supreme Court November 13, 2026 What Samuel Alito said What Samuel Alito said — November 12, 2026, Washington — “Congress can turn off the lights at the Supreme Court” Justice Samuel Alito, official portrait, 2007 Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States, Photographer: Steve Petteway, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons When he said it When he said it When he said it When he said it The “least dangerous” branch The “least dangerous” branch — Alexander Hamilton, Federalist No. 78, 1788 — The judiciary has “no influence over either the sword or the purse” Alexander Hamilton, by John Trumbull, about 1806 John Trumbull, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons Who holds the purse Who holds the purse Who holds the purse Who holds the purse What the Constitution protects What the Constitution protects — Protected: the justices’ seats and their pay — Voted each year: staff, police, technology, the building The Supreme Court Building in Washington at dusk, October 2011 Joe Ravi, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons What the Court asked Congress for What the Court asked Congress for How small the Court’s budget is How small the Court’s budget is Elena Kagan asked Congress in person Elena Kagan asked Congress in person — July 14, 2026: the Court’s budget request — Threats: up 25 percent, then 38 percent expected Justice Elena Kagan, official portrait, 2013 Steve Petteway, Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons When the money ran out in 2025 When the money ran out in 2025 — October 1, 2025: shutdown begins — October 18: funding to run out The Supreme Court Building the Court said would close to visitors; 2007 Noclip at en.wikipedia, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons Congress has cancelled a Court term Congress has cancelled a Court term — April 29, 1802: the Judiciary Act — Nine justices since 1869 Screenshot: the Federal Judicial Center on the Judiciary Act of 1802 Federal Judicial Center (fjc.gov), a United States government website What he said about lower courts What he said about lower courts — Some judges have “gone far astray” — No report names a bill to cut the Court’s funding Justice Samuel Alito, official portrait, 2007 Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States, Photographer: Steve Petteway, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons What to watch What to watch What to watch What to watch The Court decides the law, and Congress decides if the lights stay on The Court decides the law, and Congress decides if the lights stay on On November 12, 2026, a Supreme Court justice said Congress can turn off the lights at the Supreme Court. The Constitution lets no money leave the Treasury without an appropriation made by law, and it protects only the justices’ seats and pay. Congress enacted $174.5 million for the Court for fiscal year 2026; the Court requested $225.1 million for 2027. No report read for this edition names a bill to cut that funding. This is a reading of the record on the afternoon of November 13, 2026. Stay up to date with Dataspheres AI Stay up to date with Dataspheres AI Sign up and get the Dataspheres AI Weekly: the week's key stories and what to watch next. dataspheres.ai/signup Scan to sign up