US Senate Unanimously Passes Formal Dress Code 

The US Senate has unanimously passed a resolution that formalizes business attire as the proper dress code for the floor of the chamber, according to reports. 

This move came after Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer decided to stop enforcing the unwritten requirement. Democratic Senator John Fetterman’s casual dressing has also become a big talking point in the media and the Capitol. 

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The bill from Democratic Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Utah Republican Senator Mitt Romney now requires that Senate members abide by an actual written out dress code, rather than an unwritten custom. 

The new resolution stated that when members are on the Senate floor, men must wear a coat, tie, and slacks. The resolution didn’t list any specifics for business attire for women on the Senate floor. 

“Though we’ve never had an official dress code, the events over the past week have made us all feel as though formalizing one is the right path forward,” Schumer said. 

“I deeply appreciate Senator Fetterman working with me to come to an agreement that we all find acceptable, and of course I appreciate Sen. Manchin and Sen. Romney’s leadership on this issue.”

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Before the measure was officially passed, Fetterman told CNN that he would wear business attire when presiding over the Senate floor. 

Following the passing, Fetterman’s office released a brief statement that included a current viral meme image of actor Kevin James from the hit TV series, “King Of Queens.”

Back in 2017, Paul Ryan, the then-House speaker, relaxed the rules regarding dress codes after dozens of congresswomen objected to a prohibition on displaying bare arms. 

In 2019, the attire for women in the Senate was relaxed after then-Senate Rules Committee chair, Amy Klobuchar, worked to make a change so women could wear sleeveless dresses.