(NewsNation) — Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., changed the chamber’s informal dress code to allow senators to wear what they want on the floor, according to a media report.
NewsNation partner The Hill reported Schumer, in a statement, said that while senators can now choose what they want to wear on the Senate floor, the majority leader will continue wearing a suit.
This statement, and new dress code rules, were first reported on by Axios.
While lawmakers will be able to dress informally, The Hill writes this does not apply to staff or outside visitors.
According to Axios, before the dress code changed, men and women were required to wear business attire while on the Senate floor, with men wearing a coat and tie. However, senators in a rush were able to circumvent this by voting on the edge of the Senate floor with their thumb up or down to indicate a vote, Axios said.
Although Senate aides say the dress code is “informal,” The Hill writes it’s been “strictly adhered to” for the last two decades.
Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., is one lawmaker who can often been seen with a hoodie and gym shorts, although other senators have also been seen in casual attire, per The Hill.