Jeffries mulls loosening dress code to permit sneakers in speaker’s lobby

Hakeem Jeffries, the House Minority Leader, responded that he might support a rule amendment to let members wear sneakers in the speaker’s lobby, contingent on Democrats taking control of the House and his election as speaker. He emphasized that any such change would be addressed after the November 3 election. The lobby, situated just off the House floor, enforces a strict dress code that bans sneakers and requires men to wear jackets and ties, while limiting access to certain staff and prohibiting photo or video recording.

In recent years, sneaker usage among lawmakers has risen, prompting the creation of a bipartisan Sneaker Caucus in 2023, led by Rep. Jared Moskowitz and Rep. Wesley Hunt. Moskowitz has said sneakers help staff and legislators express individuality and foster a sense of diversity, noting that roughly 100 members on both sides of the aisle wear them at any given time.