Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) has responded to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s (D-N.Y.) proposal that senators wear whatever they want on the Senate floor by making a proposal of his own requiring a dress code. The Hill reports that the resolution would return the dress code to business attire.
Over the weekend, Schumer loosened the dress code to allow senators to wear something as casual as a hoodie on the Senate floor. Schumer’s decision faced bipartisan backlash as those opposing his new terms, such as Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (Ill.), have asserted that “the Senate should have standards.” Some have accused Schumer of catering to Senator John Fetterman (D-Pa) who favors wearing hoodie sweatshirts.
According to The Hill, “Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) described the bipartisan group of senators who want to restore the Senate dress code ‘the coalition of the rational.'” Cornyn explained that the resolution will bring the topic of a dress code to the Senate floor where senators will have a chance to share their thoughts. Cornyn criticized Schumer’s action, saying that conforming the dress code to “the lowest common denominator” is “ridiculous.”
One senator who already signed the resolution said doing so would “define what the dress code is,” since apparently a written dress code for senators could not be found. Schumer’s proposal for the dress code change only applies to senators, not staffers who will still be required to dress in business attire.