Fetterman’s casual Senate attire frustrates both sides on Capitol Hill.
Lawmakers React to Senate Dress Code Change and Sen. Fetterman’s Casual Attire
Lawmakers in the United States Senate are buzzing about the recent change in dress code and the appearance of Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) in casual attire while presiding over the governing body.
On September 20, Fetterman, as the Senate leader, made headlines by wearing a button-up, short-sleeve shirt, and shorts, just two days after Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) announced that senators would no longer be required to wear formal clothes on the Senate floor.
“There has been an informal dress code that was enforced,” Mr. Schumer said in a press statement on September 18. “Senators are able to choose what they wear on the Senate floor. I will continue to wear a suit.”
Some senators are concerned that Schumer’s decision to alter the dress code undermines the decorum and respect of the Senate.
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), one of the leading members of the Senate Democrats, expressed frustration about Schumer’s decision in an interview posted on X, formerly Twitter, on September 21. He said, “I want to give him the benefit of the doubt…but I think the Senate needs to act on this.
“The senator in question from Pennsylvania is a personal friend, but I think we need to have standards when it comes to what we’re wearing on the floor of the Senate, and we’re in the process of discussing that right now …”
Politico reported on September 19 that Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) was also frustrated by Fetterman’s actions and had a conversation with the Pennsylvania Democrat regarding the dress code change.
“I said, ‘John, I think it’s wrong & there’s no way I can comply with that’… I wanted to tell him directly that I totally oppose it & I will do everything I can to try to hold the decorum of the Senate.”
Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) voiced his disapproval on X, saying, “Allowing casual clothing on the Senate floor disrespects the institution we serve and the American families we represent.”
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) implied during a press conference on September 20 that he would likely revert the Senate dress code back to its previous standards.
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) jokingly told reporters that she would “wear a bikini” on the Senate floor, according to a report by The Washington Examiner.
“I plan to wear a bikini tomorrow to the Senate floor and [Sen.] Chris Coons [D-Del.] is gonna wear shorts because there’s no dress code anymore,” Collins jokingly told reporters on September 18 after news of the change broke.
When asked why the change bothered her, Collins replied, “Because I think there is a certain dignity that we should be maintaining in the Senate, and to do away with the dress code, to me, debases the institution.”
“Now, obviously, I’m not gonna wear a bikini,” she added. “But of all the issues that we have to deal with right now, ranging from the possibility of the government shutting down to what we do about Ukraine, we’re talking about the Senate dress code? That’s extraordinary to me.”
After presiding over the Senate on Wednesday, Fetterman, who has engaged in back-and-forth exchanges with some Republicans over the relaxed dress code, downplayed his informal appearance.
“The world didn’t spin off its axis,” Fetterman told NBC reporter Frank Thorp following his turn at the Senate rostrum. “You know, I just did it … I think we will still go on.”
In Congress, Fetterman has frequently worn shorts, hoodies, and short-sleeve shirts. Prior to Schumer’s decision to modify the dress code, the junior Pennsylvania senator often had to vote from just outside the Senate’s doors due to the previous standards.
Speaking for himself, Fetterman said in a September 20 post on X, “If those jagoffs in the House stop trying to shut our government down, and fully support Ukraine, then I will save democracy by wearing a suit on the Senate floor next week.”
How has the recent appearance of Sen. Fetterman in casual attire sparked a debate among lawmakers?
By loosening the dress code in the United States Senate, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has sparked a debate among lawmakers. The recent appearance of Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) in casual attire while presiding over the governing body has further intensified the discussions.
On September 20, Fetterman made headlines by wearing a button-up, short-sleeve shirt, and shorts, just two days after Schumer announced that senators would no longer be required to wear formal clothes on the Senate floor. Schumer stated in a press statement on September 18, “There has been an informal dress code that was enforced. Senators are able to choose what they wear on the Senate floor. I will continue to wear a suit.”
However, some senators are concerned that this decision undermines the decorum and respect of the Senate. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), one of the leading members of the Senate Democrats, expressed frustration about Schumer’s decision in an interview posted on a social media platform on September 21. He said, “I want to give him the benefit of the doubt…but I think the Senate needs to act on this. The senator in question from Pennsylvania is a personal friend, but I think we need to have standards when it comes to what we’re wearing on the floor of the Senate, and we’re in the process of discussing that right now…”
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) also expressed his frustration and had a conversation with Fetterman regarding the dress code change. Manchin stated, “I said, ‘John, I think it’s wrong, and there’s
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