Current:Home > Contact-usSenators weigh in on lack of dress code, with Susan Collins joking she'll wear a bikini-LoTradeCoin
Senators weigh in on lack of dress code, with Susan Collins joking she'll wear a bikini
View Date:2024-12-23 17:10:00
The Senate no longer has a dress code, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, announced this week. After the announcement, Sen. Susan Collins joked about what she would be wearing. "I plan to wear a bikini tomorrow to the Senate floor," the Maine Republican jokingly told reporters, the Associated Press reports.
Collins went on to clarify she "obviously" is not going to wear a bikini, according to the Washington Examiner. "But of all the issues that we have to deal with right now, ranging from the possibility of the government shutting down to what we do about Ukraine, we're talking about the Senate dress code? That's extraordinary to me."
While Schumer himself still plans to wear suits, other lawmakers may take him up on the offer to "choose what they wear on the Senate floor." Sen. John Fetterman, a Democrat from Pennsylvania, has often worn causal clothes like sweatshirts and basketball shorts to work. Now, there is no rule prohibiting it.
But some took issue with the lack of dress code. Sen. Markwayne Mullin said on Fox News on Monday that part of him is excited for the change. "I hate wearing a tie and I'd rather be in blue jeans and a pair of boots and a white T-shirt," the Oklahoma Republican said. "The fact is, you do dress for the job, and we need to be respectful of the position we hold and I totally disagree with what [Schumer] is doing here."
When asked if he thinks the change was made because of Fetterman's affinity for casual clothes, Mullin said "of course it is," adding that Fetterman's causal dress is "completely disrespectful for the people who put him in the position and the position that he holds."
In an interview with Bloomberg on Monday, Sen. Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican, said he had a lot of strong opinions on Schumer's announcement, but didn't want to express them publicly. "Because I will say, behind closed doors, lots of people have a pretty energized opinion on this topic," he said.
Even lawmakers who are not in the Senate weighed in. On X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene called it a decision to "appease Fetterman," saying it was "disgraceful."
When asked about the critics, Fetterman told reporters: "They're freaking out, I don't understand it," according to the Associated Press. "Like, aren't there more important things we should be working on right now instead of, you know, that I might be dressing like a slob?"
Some lawmakers were already seen embracing the change. Republican Rep. Josh Hawley flew back from his home state of Missouri on Monday wearing jeans and boots, as he always does when he flies, and took that outfit to the Senate, according to the AP.
Sen. Chris Murphy also ditched the tie, telling reporters he had been reprimanded for doing so in the past. "They would tell us when we were doing it wrong," the Connecticut Democrat said, according to the AP.
The sergeant at arms, who is elected by senators and acts as a protocol officer and law enforcement, enforced the dress code, which is not explicitly spelled out on paper. But sleeveless attire and open-toed shoes were allegedly not allowed. The change only applies to senators — staff members must still follow the code, which requires business attire, CBS News' Nikole Killion reports.
Caitlin O'KaneCaitlin O'Kane is a digital content producer covering trending stories for CBS News and its good news brand, The Uplift.
veryGood! (91)
Related
- The Best Corduroy Pants Deals from J.Crew Outlet, Old Navy, Levi’s & More, Starting at $26
- When your boss is an algorithm
- Pregnant Kourtney Kardashian Showcases Baby Bump in Elevator Selfie
- There's No Crying Over These Secrets About A League of Their Own
- Taylor Swift Politely Corrects Security’s Etiquette at Travis Kelce’s Chiefs Game
- A Black Woman Fought for Her Community, and Her Life, Amidst Polluting Landfills and Vast ‘Borrow Pits’ Mined for Sand and Clay
- Pamper Yourself With the Top 18 Trending Beauty Products on Amazon Right Now
- Pregnant Kourtney Kardashian Showcases Baby Bump in Elevator Selfie
- Watch as dust storm that caused 20-car pileup whips through central California
- The weight bias against women in the workforce is real — and it's only getting worse
Ranking
- 5-year-old boy who went missing while parent was napping is found dead near Oregon home, officials say
- Robert De Niro's Grandson Leandro De Niro Rodriguez Dead at 19
- Q&A: The Activist Investor Who Shook Up the Board at ExxonMobil, on How—or if—it Changed the Company
- 25 Cooling Products for People Who Are Always Hot
- Demure? Brain rot? Oxford announces shortlist for 2024 Word of the Year: Cast your vote
- Little Big Town to Host First-Ever People's Choice Country Awards
- 2 states launch an investigation of the NFL over gender discrimination and harassment
- The Chevy Bolt, GM's popular electric vehicle, is on its way out
Recommendation
-
Dick Van Dyke says he 'fortunately' won't be around for Trump's second presidency
-
In BuzzFeed fashion, 5 takeaways from Ben Smith's 'Traffic'
-
What Does Climate Justice in California Look Like?
-
Meet the 'financial hype woman' who wants you to talk about money
-
Young Black and Latino men say they chose Trump because of the economy and jobs. Here’s how and why
-
Roy Wood Jr. wants laughs from White House Correspondents' speech — and reparations
-
An Unprecedented Heat Wave in India and Pakistan Is Putting the Lives of More Than a Billion People at Risk
-
BMW warns that older models are too dangerous to drive due to airbag recall