Joe Manchin leads charge against Schumer to reinstate dress code in Senate

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) led the effort against Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to reinstate the Senate dress code.

The Senate dress code, which had men to wear a coat, tie, and long pants on the Senate floor, was recently reversed by Schumer in an apparent effort to accommodate Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA), who has drawn attention for his casual dress. Manchin and Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) brought forth a bipartisan bill to properly reinstate a dress code, and it passed by unanimous consent on Wednesday. In a statement following the victory, Manchin presented the move as a victory for civility and decorum.

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“For 234 years, every senator that has had the honor of serving in this distinguished body has assumed there were some basic written rules of decorum, conduct, and civility, one of which was a dress code. Just over a week ago, we all learned that there were not, in fact, any written rules about what senators could and could not wear on the floor of the Senate,” he said. “So Sen. Romney and I got together, and we thought maybe it’s time that we finally codify something that was the precedented rule for 234 years.”

Gene J. Puskar/AP

The dress code will be enforced by the sergeant-at-arms, and Schumer said he supports the move.

“Though we’ve never had an official dress code, the events over the past week have made us all feel as though formalizing one is the right path forward,” he said, CNN reported. “I deeply appreciate Sen. Fetterman working with me to come to an agreement that we all find acceptable, and of course I appreciate Sen. Manchin and Sen. Romney’s leadership on this issue.”

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Several leading Democrats had signaled concern over the relaxation in dress code before the passing of today’s bill.

“I’m concerned about it,” Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) said. “The senator in question from Pennsylvania is a personal friend, but I think we need to have standards when it comes to what we’re wearing on the floor of the Senate.”