Republicans Quip About Wearing Bathing Suits on Senate Floor

Republicans are joking about wearing bathing suits on the Senate floor following Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer's decision to alter the chamber's dress code.

Democratic Senator John Fetterman has been in the crosshairs of Republicans this week, with many suggesting that the Pennsylvanian's dressed-down look is to blame for the change. Schumer has not indicated the reason for his decision. Fetterman has worn a suit and tie on the Senate floor, although he more typically wears casual attire like hoodies and shorts when not on the floor.

Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine quipped that she would "wear a bikini" to the chamber in comments to a group of reporters on Monday, while adding that Democratic Senator Chris Coons of Delaware would be wearing shorts. She quickly made it clear that she was joking before arguing that the dress code change "debases the institution."

"I plan to wear a bikini tomorrow to the Senate floor and Chris Coons is gonna wear shorts because there's no dress code anymore," Collins said. "Obviously, I'm not going to wear a bikini. But the fact is, as I understand it, I could."

"I think there is a certain dignity that we should be maintaining in the Senate, and to do away with the dress code, to me, debases the institution," she continued.

On Tuesday, Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas weighed in on X, formerly Twitter, responding to a right-wing podcast's suggestion that "we need Ted Cruz in a Speedo" to protest Fetterman and the changed dress code.

"I give my solemn word ... this will not happen!" wrote Cruz.

Newsweek reached out for comment to the offices of Fetterman and Schumer via email on Tuesday night.

The exact details on what is permissible under the new dress code have not been made public. The altered rules apply only to senators, not their staff. Schumer has said that "senators are able to choose what they wear on the Senate floor" following the change, while adding that he personally "will continue to wear a suit."

Collins and Cruz are far from the only Republicans to chime in, with many other GOP politicians having more directly lashed out at Fetterman in response.

Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia lamented that the Senate was "no longer enforcing a dress code for Senators to appease Fetterman" in a post on X, calling the move a "disgraceful" example of "lowering the bar."

Stephen Miller, ex-adviser to former President Donald Trump, claimed that "the entire Senate is jettisoning its storied history and debasing itself before the world to accommodate the slovenliness of one man, John Fetterman."

Fetterman took aim at the recent theater scandal involving Republican Representative Lauren Boebert of Colorado when responding Monday on X to a Fox News article on the dress code, suggesting that the conservative network would make him "a folk hero" if he started "vaping and grabbing the hog during a live musical."

The Pennsylvania Democrat also suggested that he could cash in on the uproar, writing on X that "nobody should take fashion advice from me" but "new merch" would be "dropping soon" for those who would like to.