(Cupventi.com) – Senator Joe Manchin, a Democrat from West Virginia, plans to introduce a bipartisan resolution in the upcoming week aimed at reinstating the Senate’s dress code. This move comes after Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat from New York, relaxed the dress code rules this past weekend.
The resolution seeks to return the dress code to its previous requirement of senators wearing coats, ties, or business attire while present on the Senate floor.
A spokesperson from Senator Manchin’s office informed Fox News Digital on Friday, “Next week, Senator Manchin intends to file a bipartisan resolution to ensure the Senate dress code remains consistent with previous expectations.”
The dress code came under scrutiny when Senator John Fetterman, a Democrat from Pennsylvania, continued to wear casual attire such as basketball shorts, hoodies, or collared shirts for Senate business. This defiance was evident even during his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, where Fetterman sported shorts, a short-sleeved shirt, and tennis shoes.
Schumer had relaxed the dress code standards to accommodate the preferences of the new Democratic senator, who would otherwise not have been allowed to conduct business on the Senate floor according to the previous dress code. However, visitors and others entering the Senate chamber are still expected to adhere to the dress code.
Fetterman circumvented the dress code rules of the legislative body by casting his vote from the doorway of the Democratic cloakroom or the side entrance, ensuring his vote was recorded before discreetly departing. Taking advantage of the controversy, Fetterman announced the creation of merchandise on X (formerly known as Twitter).
“We can all agree: Nobody should take fashion advice from me,” he stated on Tuesday. “But in case you want to, new merch dropping soon.”
Earlier in the week, Senator Rick Scott, a Republican from Florida, led a letter with 46 other GOP senators urging Schumer to reinstate the dress code. The coalition of Republicans argued that allowing informal clothing on the Senate floor “disrespects the institution” and conveyed “strong disapproval” of Schumer’s decision. “The world watches us on that floor, and we must protect the sanctity of that place at all costs,” the senators emphasized in their letter.