WASHINGTON – A debate among U.S. Supreme Court justices on Tuesday over the meaning of a federal statute ended with an angry exchange between Justice Stephen Breyer and Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. over the role of members of Congress and their staff.

The fast pace of the discussion made it difficult for those watching the argument in Lockhart v. United States, 14-8359, to hear some of the comments. The transcript released later in the day revealed the sharp back-and-forth.