The U.S. Senate on Sept. 27 unanimously passed a resolution to enforce formal business attire as the dress code for the chamber's floor.
At the center of that change in dress code was Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), who had been donning more casual attire, such as casual shorts or gym shorts and a hoodie or sweatshirt, as he went about his duties. Prior to Mr. Schumer's decision to modify the dress code to allow casual dress, Mr. Fetterman frequently had to vote from just outside the Senate's doors due to the unwritten standards.
Mr. Schumer's adjustment of the dress code was largely perceived as an effort to accommodate Mr. Fetterman, who experienced a stroke prior to securing his seat in the 2022 midterm election. Mr. Fetterman had been away from the Senate for two months to receive treatment for significant depression.
Earlier this month, Mr. Fetterman presided over the Senate in a short-sleeve shirt. This sparked reactions from both sides of the aisle, with dozens of Republican senators asking Mr. Schumer to reverse his decision of not enforcing the unwritten dress code.
The bill that passed on Sept. 27 is a joint proposal from Democrat Sen. Joe Manchin (W.Va.) and Republican Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) to require an official dress code, rather than just having an unwritten custom.
"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."
