Television cameras are not about to enter the Supreme Court any time soon.

That was the unmistakable message that two Supreme Court justices gave Congress at a hearing on Tuesday on the court's budget.

Asked for his views on the subject, Justice Kennedy said it raised a "sensitive point" about the constitutional separation of powers.

"It's not for the court to tell Congress how to conduct its proceedings," and the reverse was also true, he said. He added, "We feel very strongly that we have intimate knowledge of the dynamics and the mood of the court, and we think that proposals mandating and directing television in our court are inconsistent with the deference and etiquette that should apply between the branches."

Justice Thomas was equally firm, warning that television in the courtroom would have a negative impact on the argument sessions.

"It runs the risk of undermining the manner in which we consider cases," he said. He added that some members of the court "feel more strongly than others," but that all agreed that the court should decide the issue for itself. "The general consensus is not one of glee," he said.