>>> SENATE MAJORITY LEADER CHUCK
SCHUMER RECENTLY RELAXED THE
UNWRITTEN DRESS CODE FOR WHAT
U.S. SENATORS CAN OR CAN'T WEAR
INSIDE THE SENATE CHAMBER.
THAT RULE CHANGE IS BEING
CRITICIZED BY CONGRESSIONAL
REPUBLICANS.
BRIAN TODD IS COVERING THE STORY
FOR US.
>> Reporter: JOHN FETTERMAN GAVE
US A JARRING IMAGE.
HE PRESIDED OVER THE SENATE
WEARING A SHORT SLEEVE SHIRT AND
SHORTS WHICH REPUBLICAN SENATOR
RICK SCOTT TOLD ME HE THOUGHT
WAS INAPPROPRIATE.
TONIGHT A SENATE KNOWNED FOR ITS
BUTTONED-UP IMAGE IS IN AN
UPROAR OVER THIS CHANGE.
HE'S 6'8", WEIGHS ABOUT 270 AND
WALKS AROUND THE SENATE HALLS
WITH A HOODIE AND SHORTS ON, AND
HE DIDN'T A TOURIST.
JOHN FETTERMAN OF PENNSYLVANIA.
TODAY WAS SEEN PROUDLY WEARING
THOSE CASUALS WHILE PRESIDING
OVER THE SENATE.
>> THE SENATOR FROM TEXAS.
>> Reporter: NOW THAT MAJORITY
LEADER CHUCK SCHUMER HAS RELAXED
THE DRESS CODE.
ALMOST EVERY REPUBLICAN SENATOR
HAS SIGNED A LETTER SPEARHEADED
BY FLORIDA SENATOR RICK SCOTT,
CALLING ON SCHUMER TO KEEP
ENFORCING THE CODE.
>> THIS HAS GOT TO CHANGE BACK.
WE'VE GOT TO HAVE DECORUM.
WE'VE GOT TO ADDRESS THE WAY THE
AMERICAN PUBLIC WOULD EXPECT
THEIR U.S. SENATORS TO ADDRESS.
>> Reporter: REPUBLICAN SENATOR
CHUCK GRASSLEY SAYING IT STINKS.
SENATOR JOHN KENNEDY SAYING --
>> I DON'T LIKE IT.
>> Reporter: AND REPUBLICAN
SENATOR SUSAN COLLINS JOKING,
QUOTE, I PLAN TO WEAR A BIKINI
TOMORROW TO THE SENATE FLOOR.
SOME DEMOCRATS SEEM RELUCTANT TO
CRITICIZE THE CHANGE.
>> DO YOU THINK IT SHOULD BE
CHANGED?
>> I JUST THINK THERE'S A WHOLE
LOT MORE IMPORTANT THINGS FOR US
TO WORRY ABOUT.
SO, I'M FINE, YOU KNOW, AS LONG
AS PEOPLE COVER ALL THE PRIVATE
PARTS.
>> I THINK YOU CAN HAVE RESPECT
FOR THE INSTITUTION WITHOUT A
FORMAL DRESS CODE SO LONG AS
INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS TAKE PERSONAL
RESPONSIBILITY FOR UPHOLDING
DECORUM.
>> Reporter: BUT REPUBLICANS ARE
PRESSING EVEN ON THE HOUSE SIDE.
>> YOU'RE GOING TO CHANGE ALL
THE SENATE RULES SIMPLY SO
SOMEONE CAN WEAR GYM CLOTHES
ONTO THE FLOOR?
>> I MEAN, THAT'S EMBARRASSING.
>> Reporter: FETTERMAN TODAY
FIRING BACK SAYING, QUOTE, IF
THEY STOP TRYING TO SHUT OUR
GOVERNMENT DOWN AND FULLY
SUPPORT UKRAINE, THEN I WILL
SAVE DEMOCRACY BY WEARING A SUIT
ON THE SENATE FLOOR NEXT WEEK.
AND TELLING MSNBC ON MONDAY --
>> THE RIGHT HAVE BEEN, LIKE,
LOSING THEIR MIND, JUST, LIKE,
OH, MY GOD, AREN'T THERE MORE
IMPORTANT THINGS WE SHOULD BE
TALKING ABOUT RATHER THAN IF I
HAD DRESSED LIKE A SLOB.
>> Reporter: WHILE SOME SENATORS
LIKE KYRSTEN SINEMA OFTEN DRESS
WITH FLAIR, THE SENATE HAS
EXPECTED BUSINESS ATTIRE FOR
CENTURIES, WITH MEN UNDERSTOOD
TO WEAR A SUIT AND TIE AND WOMEN
COVERING THEIR ARMS.
A SENATOR WITHOUT A TIE WOULD
IMMEDIATELY LEAVE THE FLOOR AND
FIX THE MISTAKE.
AND RONALD REAGAN FAMOUSLY WOULD
RARELY SET FOOT IN THE OVAL
OFFICE WITHOUT A COAT AND TIE.
ONE ANALYST SAYS DECORUM HAS ITS
PLACE BUT RIGHT NOW --
>> WE'RE HEADING HEADLONG INTO
WHAT MAY BE A SUSTAINED
GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN.
THIS IS A DISTRACTION.
THIS IS A TEMPEST IN A HOODIE.
>> Reporter: NOW, EVEN SENATOR
FETTERMAN SAYS HE'S NOT SURE IF
HE'LL ALWAYS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF
THE NEW RULES.
FETTERMAN WAS RECENTLY QUOTED AS
SAYING IT'S NICE TO HAVE THE
OPTION, BUT THAT HE'S PLANNING
ON USING THE NEW DRESS CODE
SPARINGLY AND NOT OVERUSING IT.
WOLF?
>> BRIAN TODD, THANKS FOR THAT
REPORT.
IN THE HALLS OF THE SENATE, OLD
CUSTOMS DIE HARD.
BUT ALL BUT THREE REPUBLICAN
SENATORS HAVE NOW PUBLISHED A
LETTER TO THE SENATE MAJORITY
LEADER, CHUCK SCHUMER,
CRITICIZING HIS DECISION THERE
TO RELAX THE CHAMBER'S DRESS
CODE.
THAT MOVE WAS SEEN, AT LEAST, IN
RESPONSE TO SENATOR JOHN FER
MAN'S PREFERENCE FOR WEAR SHORTS
AND A HOODIE, THERE HE IS,
LOOKING AS COMFORTABLE AS EVER.
YOU'VE COVERED CAPITOL HILL FOR
A LONG TIME.
I'VE BEEN IN THOSE HALLS.
I REMEMBER HAVING TO WEAR A
JACKET EVEN WHEN IT'S 100
DEGREES OUTSIDE IN D.C.
WHAT DO YOU MAKE ABOUT THE
SQUABBLE OVER THE DRESS CODE ON
CAPITOL HILL?
>> YOU'RE ASKING THE WRONG GUY.
AS YOU KNOW, SEEING ME IN THE
HALLS, I WEAR A TIE AND JACKET.
>> ALWAYS DRESSED TO THE NINES.
>> EVERY DAY.
MAYBE NOT SATURDAYS.
BUT ALMOST ALL THE TIME.
LOOK.
MAYBE THERE'S SOME BENDING.
I KNOW THAT BUSINESS CASUAL HAS
BECOME THE FASHION OR WHATEVER.
BUT REALLY, IN THE UNITED STATES
SENATE, A HOODIE AND SHORTS?
SNEAKERS?
YOU KNOW.
I'M NOT EASILY OFFENDED, AND I
MEAN, IF THEY'RE GOING TO GO ON
THIS WAY, IT'S NOT THE END OF
THE REPUBLIC.
BUT GEE, IT DOES SEEM TO ME THAT
SAYING THAT FETTERMAN CAN DRESS
LIKE THAT, THEN YOU HAD SUSAN
COLLINS, A VERY PROPER
REPUBLICAN SENATOR FROM MAINE,
SAYING MAYBE SHE'LL WEAR A
BIKINI.
I ACTUALLY THINK THAT, YOU KNOW,
IF IT WAS A QUESTION OF SIGNING
ON THE LINE ABOUT WE NEED TO
HAVE SOME KIND OF DRESS CODE
THAT'S A LITTLE BETTER THAN THE
FETTERMAN STANDARD, I PROBABLY
WOULD HAVE SIGNED.
>> I MEAN, LOOK.
TO BE FAIR, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME
REPUBLICANS WHO HAVE DRESSED
DOWN IN THE SENATE, TOO.
THERE'S TED CRUZ.
HE SOMETIMES LIKES TO WEAR HIS
WORKOUT CLOTHES ON THE HILL.
FORMER SENATOR RICHARD BURR WAS
SOMETIMES IN A POLO SHIRT AND
SHORTS AND FLIP-FLOPS.
LET'S BE HONEST.
I MEAN, WHEN IT COMES TO
DECORUM, I DON'T THINK THE DRESS
CODE IS THE PROBLEM OVER ON
CAPITOL HILL.
THIS HAS BEEN A PRETTY ROWDY
CONGRESS, IF YOU ASK ME.
IS THIS JUST KIND OF MAKING HAY
OUT OF SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T
REALLY MATTER ALL THAT MUST
HAVE?
>> ANBY, YOU START WITH THE TIE,
IT'S A SLIPPERY SLOPE.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE IT GOES FROM
THERE.
>> WHO KNOWS WHAT COULD HAPPEN
IF, GOD FORBID YOU WEAR SHORTS,
GOD FORBID WOMEN WEAR SLEEVELESS
DRESSES.
CAPITOL HILL, STAY THE SAME
ALWAYS.
CHRIS WALLACE, YOU STAY THE SAME
TOO, THANKS FOR JOINING US