Senators, bemoaning relaxed dress code that 'stinks,' vote to require 'business attire'

As Congress races to address a looming government shutdown that would affect millions of people -- federal workers, military families, women and children who need assistance to eat and more -- the Senate on Wednesday addressed another issue that had stirred sharp controversy among members:

What the 100 of them can and cannot wear on the chamber floor.

By unanimous consent, senators on Wednesday night voted to formalize a dress code. The move reversed Majority Leader Chuck Schumer's decision earlier this month to relax the code, which has long been informally followed.

Schumer's change had better accommodated Democratic lawmaker John Fetterman's style even as he said the debate over his clothes shouldn't be a priority.

"This is not the biggest thing going on in Washington today. It's not even one of the biggest things going on in Washington today. But nonetheless, it's a good thing," Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, said in a floor speech on Wednesday, with a small laugh and smile.

He and Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., brought the resolution to formalize the dress code.

"It's another example of Republicans and Democrats being able to work together and to solve -- in this case -- what may not be a real big problem, but it's an important thing," Romney said in his speech.

"As senators, we should demonstrate a high level of reverence for the institution in which we serve and our attire is one of the most basic expressions of that respect," he said in a statement.

The brief measure stipulates that "Business attire be worn on the floor of the Senate, which for men shall include a coat, tie, and slacks or other long pants," and that the Senate's sergeant at arms will enforce the code.

The resolution does not specify what women have to wear on the Senate floor.

Until recently, male senators were required to wear suit jackets and dress shoes on the floor. But under the change, members would have been "able to choose what they wear on the Senate floor," Schumer said in a statement earlier this month.

That didn't sit right with many in the chamber.

"I don't like it," Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., said on CNN while Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, told the news website Axios: "I think it's a race to the bottom."

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, joked with reporters that "I plan to wear a bikini tomorrow to the Senate floor and [Sen.] Chris Coons is gonna wear shorts because there's no dress code anymore."

Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, was even more blunt, saying the change "stinks" and urging colleagues "not dress like a clown."

Within days of the dress code change being reported, a group of 46 Republicans led by Sen. Rick Scott of Florida sent a letter to Schumer "to express our supreme disappointment and resolute disapproval."

Freshman Sen. Fetterman, D-Pa. -- who often walks the halls in shorts and a sweatshirt or hoodie -- told Axios the disagreement over dress was "irrelevant and silly" and said in a sarcastic statement last week that if Republicans in the House could agree on government spending legislation to avoid a partial shutdown "then I will save democracy by wearing a suit on the Senate floor next week."

Fetterman told the website Insider earlier this week that he always planned to wear a suit if he was on the floor and would, if not in formal clothes, otherwise be voting from the perimeter of the chamber.

"We have so many other things that we could be addressing right now," he told Insider.

While the dress code change under Schumer did not single Fetterman out, Fetterman has spoken repeatedly about the matter.

He is not the first lawmaker to be seen in casual clothing in the Senate, though he embraces it more frequently than others.

"Comfort, basically, and it's kind of hard to find suits this size, too, and I believe it's not the person that is made by how they dress," Fetterman recently told CNN when asked about why he chose his style. He said that same philosophy applies to his staff "as long as they continue to serve our nation."

In remarks from the floor on Wednesday, ahead of the vote on the resolution to reverse the relaxed dress code, Schumer said, "I deeply appreciate Sen. Fetterman working with me to come to an agreement that we all find acceptable, and of course I appreciate Sen. Manchin and Sen. Romney's leadership on this issue."

In response to the vote, Fetterman's official X account (formerly Twitter) posted a simple meme of actor Kevin James, bashfully shrugging his shoulders -- in a plaid shirt and jeans.

ABC News' Allison Pecorin contributed to this report.