The decision by Senate Majority Leader, Democrat Chuck Schumer, to eliminate the requirement to wear jackets and ties for senators and suits for female senators is causing controversy, if not outright revolt. Too loose a turn for the Republican minority senators, who signed a letter in ’46 calling for a return to the old dress code.
“Allowing casual wear in the Senate is a form of disrespect for the institution we serve and the American families we represent,” says the letter, which defines the Senate chamber as “a place of honor and tradition.” “The world is watching us when we are in the courtroom, and we must protect the sanctity of this place at all costs,” the letter concludes.
In fact, the new dress code doesn’t require you to wear casual clothing, just gives you the option to choose it, as Schumer said when announcing the measure. “Senators can decide what they wear when they come into the chamber,” he said, adding that he personally “will continue to wear a suit and tie.”
John Fetterman, the Democratic senator from Pennsylvania who is known for favoring sweatshirts and track pants over jackets and ties, is excited about the change: “America is based on freedom and choice,” he told The Hill. Several Republicans took aim at Fetterman, accusing the Democratic leadership of cutting measures for the Pennsylvania senator.
But there is no shortage of Democrats criticizing their leader’s decision, such as centrist Joe Manchin, who called the new dress code “wrong” because it “degrades” the Senate chamber. Republican Sen. Susan Collins then joked about Schumer’s move: “Tomorrow I’m thinking about coming into the chamber in a bikini,” she told reporters, then criticized the measure. “I believe that we need to maintain some dignity in the Senate and forego a dress code. In my opinion, it insults the institution,” he said.