The US Senate has passed a resolution formalizing business attire as the official dress code for the chamber. This resolution comes after Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer stopped enforcing the unwritten requirement, which led to controversy when Democratic Senator John Fetterman wore casual dress on the Senate floor. The bipartisan bill, introduced by Democratic Senator Joe Manchin and Republican Senator Mitt Romney, requires members to adhere to a specific dress code that includes a coat, tie, and slacks for men. The resolution does not specify what is considered business attire for women on the Senate floor.
Schumer stated that the events of the past week made it necessary to formalize a dress code, and he thanked Fetterman for working with him to reach an agreement. Fetterman, before the vote, expressed his intention to wear business attire when presiding over the Senate floor. After the resolution passed, Fetterman’s office released a statement accompanied by a viral meme photograph of actor Kevin James.
This is not the first time the dress code in Congress has been modified. In 2017, then-House Speaker Paul Ryan relaxed rules on attire due to objections from congresswomen regarding the prohibition on displaying bare arms. Additionally, in 2019, the dress code for women in the Senate was relaxed following efforts by then-Senate Rules Committee chair Amy Klobuchar to allow women to wear sleeveless dresses.