In a unanimous decision late Wednesday evening, the U.S. Senate passed a resolution formalizing business attire as the official dress code while on the chamber floor.
This move is a direct rebuke to Senator Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), who recently relaxed the dress requirements, allowing Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) to continue wearing hooded sweatshirts and shorts.
Schumer's decision on September 17 sparked a bipartisan backlash both within the chamber and on social media. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Mitt Romney (R-UT) took the lead in sponsoring the bipartisan bill to reinstate the traditional dress code.
Under the new rules, male senators are required to wear a jacket, tie, and pants, while no specific attire is specified for female chamber members.
In an attempt to backtrack on his previous actions, Schumer stated on Wednesday, "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."
Following the Senate's decision, Fetterman's office took to social media and posted a well-known meme featuring actor Kevin James shrugging, seemingly expressing indifference to the outcome.
This resolution marks a significant shift in the Senate's approach to dress code regulations, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a professional and formal atmosphere on the chamber floor. The unanimous support for this resolution demonstrates a bipartisan consensus on the need to uphold traditional standards of attire in the Senate.
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