Senator J.D. Vance of Ohio has accused President Biden of deliberately flooding the heartland with fentanyl to punish those who didn’t vote for him. He has also been spreading the false claim that former President Donald J. Trump won the 2020 election. Additionally, Vance has announced plans to block all nominations to the Justice Department until what he considers a “political prosecution” of Mr. Trump stops.
However, on Tuesday, Vance voiced a different concern altogether: the relaxation of the Senate dress code. He believes that the change would degrade America’s governmental institutions. Despite growing up in poverty in Appalachia, Vance now purchases custom-made suits from an Italian tailor in Cincinnati, emphasizing the importance of dressing properly when working in the United States Senate. He argues that the dress code should reflect the respect that working-class people across the country have for this building.
Senator Chuck Schumer, the majority leader, recently decided to relax the Senate’s informal dress code, allowing members to enter the chamber in casual attire, possibly even gym clothes. This decision has caused consternation and dismay in the typically formal upper chamber, with many senators expressing concerns about the impact on America’s reputation globally.
Even some Democrats are appalled by the change. Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia criticized the decision, stating that he believed it was wrong and that he would do everything in his power to maintain the decorum of the Senate. Senator John Cornyn of Texas accused Senator Schumer of disrespecting the Senate as an institution. Meanwhile, Senator Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming suggested that people who dress in a sloppy manner tend to behave sloppily. She believes that the relaxation of the dress code will further damage the Senate’s already fragile reputation for civility and decorum.
Senator Susan Collins, a Republican from Maine, humorously said that she would protest the dress code change by showing up to work wearing a bikini. Her comment encapsulated the incredulity that many senators have expressed. By the end of the day, 46 Republican Senators had signed a letter imploring Senator Schumer to reverse the plan, stating that the sanctity of the Senate must be protected at all costs.
The revised rules, which no longer require the sergeant-at-arms to enforce the dress code, were primarily implemented to accommodate Senator John Fetterman. Fetterman, who stands at 6-foot-8, has refused to wear a suit since his return to the Senate after being hospitalized for depression. Instead, he opts for basketball shorts and oversized sweatshirts. These rule changes will now permit him to enter and even preside over the chamber in his preferred casual attire, which he sees as a way to signify his blue-collar outsider status.
Online, Fetterman has taken the opportunity to highlight instances in which the Republicans criticizing his dress have behaved without great dignity or decorum, even when adhering to the dress code. For instance, he referenced Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene’s display of oversized nude photos of Hunter Biden during a recent House committee hearing.
The dress code debate has sparked a discussion about showing respect for the institution one serves, particularly when hard-right members with a mandate to dismantle the government are wielding their influence. Some argue that gym shorts symbolize disrespect, but others point out that well-dressed members of Congress haven’t always acted in ways that convey respect for democratic institutions.
Ultimately, the dress code issue may seem inconsequential compared to other pressing matters in Congress, but it has brought attention to the question of how lawmakers demonstrate their respect for the body in which they serve. Some argue that it’s not the dress code, but Congress’s inability to address critical national issues that leads to disrespect from abroad.
When asked why the dress code matters in a political climate marked by scandalous behavior, Vance laughed and stated that while people will inevitably fall short of standards of behavior from time to time, it is important to establish these standards.
Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio is one of the few Democratic senators who opposes the dress code change. He argues that if senators are allowed to dress casually, then staff members should also have that privilege. To him, this issue is a matter of dignity in the workplace.
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