Raskin, Ocasio-Cortez move to put more restrictions on gifts to Supreme Court justices

Democratic Reps. Jamie Raskin and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez announced Tuesday that they are again trying to pass a measure to impose new restrictions on gifts accepted by Supreme Court justices – arguing the legislation attempts to close a "glaring ethics loophole" allowing the justices to accept lavish gifts from wealthy benefactors and others with interests before the court.

They originally introduced the measure, the High Court Gift Ban Act, in 2024, and this time around they have gained a Senate sponsor in fellow Democrat Sen. Ben Ray Lujan, of New Mexico. 

The measure aims to prohibit justices from receiving gifts valued at more than $50 in a single instance or more than $100 in total over the course of a year. If passed and signed into law, the measure would also cap gifts of personal hospitality including free trips on yachts and private jets. 

It also attempts to hold the high court justices to ethics standards comparable to those governing members of Congress and executive branch officials, the lawmakers said in announcing the renewed effort, on the same day Justices Elena Kagan and Amy Coney Barrett testify before the House and Senate in support of the court’s fiscal 2027 budget request of roughly $225.1 million, roughly $20 million more than in the previous fiscal year. 

The lawmakers in re-introducing the measure also point to an analysis that found that justices have accepted at least 445 gifts worth nearly $5 million over the past two decades.

“Over the past several years, we’ve seen far too many reports detailing how lavish gifts and luxury travel have undermined public confidence in the Supreme Court. That’s why I’m proud to partner with colleagues to introduce the ... act," Luján said. "The Supreme Court – our nation’s highest and most powerful court – should be held to the highest ethical standards to protect our democracy from the influence of dark money and special interests."

Forty-one House Democrats are original cosponsors. And the bill is endorsed by roughly 40 advocacy group, most of which, including the American Federation of Teachers, Public Citizen and Earth Justice, appear liberal-leaning. 

The bill text is available here.