Dogs dressed as hot dogs, lions, Paris Hilton — and senators — visited Congress for the “bipawtisan” Halloween dog parade on Wednesday.
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), who hosted the annual event for the third time, was spotted with his dogs Mitch, who was dressed as Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), and Theo, dressed as Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.).
Theo’s pink shirt that said “dangerous creature” was an apparent nod to the sweater with those words that Sinema wore this year while presiding over the Senate — and went viral on the Internet.
“Nancy Pawlosi,” the apparent canine doppelganger of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), also made an appearance on the Hill, per a photo tweeted by Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.).
Make no bones about it, Nancy Pawlosi is working hard to Build Bark Better and help all Americans unleash their potential. pic.twitter.com/8TKJSNfyQm
— Congresswoman Sara Jacobs (@RepSaraJacobs) October 27, 2021The dog-filled halls were a change of pace on a frenetic day on Capitol Hill, as congressional Democrats close in on a long-elusive deal to overhaul the nation’s health care, education, climate and tax laws, aiming to advance President Biden’s broader economic agenda as soon as this week.
The event, which began in 2017 and was then paused due to the coronavirus pandemic, was meant to bring members of Congress and staffers on both sides of the aisle “for a cause everyone can unite for: dogs in costumes,” a Tillis spokesperson told People magazine earlier this month.
“I seriously wish everybody had a dog; I think the place would work better,” Rep. Dean Phillips said, according to Roll Call, which noted that the Minnesota Democrat sometimes leaves his Norwich terrier at the door of the House chamber as he votes. “It’s one of the few unifying opportunities in this institution that needs more of it.”
Roll Call also reported that at least one dog made a political statement, wearing a “Tax the Cats” costume. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) wore a white gown with red letters on the back with the phrase “Tax the Rich” at the Met Gala in September.
Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) tweeted pictures of his own guest, dressed as “Pierre Doglecto,” which appeared to be a riff on the alias he used on his once-secret Twitter account, Pierre Delecto.
The Senate agreed Oct. 20 to a resolution sponsored by Tillis authorizing the use of the atrium in the Philip A. Hart Senate Office Building for the bipartisan Halloween dog parade, after previous dog costume parades reportedly alarmed the Capitol Police, given the mass of dogs and people.
No senators raised objections.
The Senate agreed to S Res 422, authorizing use of the Hart atrium for a bipartisan Halloween dog parade on 10/27. Schumer: “Thank god we got this one through."
— Tia Yang (@tsyang27) October 19, 2021ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7uK3SoaCnn6Sku7G70q1lnKedZLuiwMiopWhqYGd%2BcH2PaGlxZ5Oku6i%2BxKyqZpyfnMBur86sq66llah6qa3LpaawnZWjerGt0Zqbnmc%3D