Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania presided over the Senate wearing casual attire, including a short-sleeve shirt, no tie, and shorts. This followed the controversial decision to stop enforcing the Senate’s dress code.
Fetterman took his turn as the presiding officer while several GOP colleagues delivered remarks on the Senate floor. Reporters caught up with him afterward, and he stated, “The world didn’t spin off its axis. You know, I just did it … I think we will still go on.”
The decision to relax the dress code enforcement was initiated by Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and only applies to senators, not staff members. Schumer stated that senators can choose what they wear on the Senate floor, but he personally intends to continue wearing a suit.
The change in dress code enforcement, informally known as “The Fetterman Rule,” has garnered mixed reactions from senators on both sides of the aisle. Some senators have criticized the decision, while others support the flexibility it offers.
Senator Joe Manchin expressed his disagreement with the dress code change, stating that he would “try to hold the decorum of the Senate.”
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell indicated that most Republican senators prefer dressing up for work and suggested that they are unlikely to adopt casual attire on the Senate floor.
A group of 46 Republican senators signed a letter to Schumer, urging him to reverse the rules change, stating that allowing casual clothing disrespects the institution of the Senate.
Fetterman, known for his casual attire, has used social media to humorously respond to critics of his clothing choices.
In a Senate account post on X, Fetterman joked about wearing a suit if certain conditions were met, including ending government shutdown attempts and fully supporting Ukraine.