Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has quietly told the Senate’s Sergeant at Arms to cease enforcement of a formal dress code for its members.
The altered rule will take effect this week, according to a Senate official who spoke to Axios, which first reported on the change.
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“Senators are able to choose what they wear on the Senate floor. I will continue to wear a suit,” Schumer said in a statement.
Staff members will still be required to follow the old dress code, but the changes will likely have the most impact on Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA), who is notorious for wearing his signature hoodie and gym shorts combination over business attire that is traditionally required in the Senate chamber.
For men, the standard is typically a coat and tie.
While Fetterman is most known for his casual attire preferences, the long-standing dress code has been circumvented numerous times by lawmakers who arrive at the United States Capitol to vote after spending time at the gym or another casual event. In the past, lawmakers in these circumstances would vote from the edge of the Senate floor, with one foot still in the cloakroom.
It’s not immediately clear whether the Senate dress code is a written policy, as no senior staff contacted by Axios Friday could point to a record of the rules.
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Dress codes in the Capitol have been a shifting battle in recent years. After a July 2017 protest by women lawmakers over their right to have bare arms, rules were relaxed to allow sleeveless dresses.
The Washington Examiner has reached out to Schumer’s office for comment.
