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Congressman: Enforce dress code evenly

Several thousand students from historically black universities, some wearing hoodies, rally for slain youth Trayvon Martin in front of the state Capitol in Atlanta on March 26, 2012. A Capitol policeman said it was the largest rally in recent memory and several downtown streets were closed down, snarling the evening rush hour. UPI/David Tulis
1 of 2 | Several thousand students from historically black universities, some wearing hoodies, rally for slain youth Trayvon Martin in front of the state Capitol in Atlanta on March 26, 2012. A Capitol policeman said it was the largest rally in recent memory and several downtown streets were closed down, snarling the evening rush hour. UPI/David Tulis | License Photo

WASHINGTON, March 29 (UPI) -- The head of the Congressional Black Caucus says if a dress code is enforced against a U.S. congressman in a hoodie it should always be enforced for all members.

Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Ill., was escorted from the chamber Wednesday after he donned a hoodie and dark glasses as a protest against the shooting of Trayvon Martin, an unarmed black teenager in Florida killed by a neighborhood watch volunteer.

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Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Mo., in an interview on Fox News said he plans to write a note to House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, for total enforcement, Politico reported.

"Whenever rules are not enforced, you create the opportunity for somebody to believe they have been singled out," Cleaver said. "You see during late-night votes, people stand in the back with jeans and no jackets and no ties."

Boehner at his weekly news conference said the rules are "enforced evenly," The Hill reported. He said he has asked members of both parties to leave because of their attire.

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