$5,000 AWARD
Everett McKinley Dirksen Award for Distinguished Reporting of Congress
Award Established 1980

The Everett McKinley Dirksen Award for Distinguished Reporting of Congress was created in 1980 in honor of the late Republican senator from Illinois, who served in the U.S. Senate from 1951 until his death in 1969. He was Senate Minority Leader from 1959 through 1969 and one of the U.S. Senate office buildings is named in his honor. The award is intended to recognize U.S.-based journalists whose work shows thoughtful appraisal and insight into the workings of the U.S. Congress and that represents the highest standards of journalism.

Entries are judged on how well they covered the workings of the Congress as a whole; helped illuminate the actions of elected officials or congressional staff; or described the workings of congressional policies. The award includes a cash prize of $5,000 and the winner participates in NPF’s annual awards event.

The Los Angeles Times reporters Benjamin Oreskes, Kevin Rector, Noah Bierman, Melanie Mason and Cameron Joseph have won the 2023 Everett McKinley Dirksen Award for Distinguished Reporting of Congress for their coverage of Sen. Dianne Feinstein, which National Press Foundation judges praised as “tough reporting that was also sensitive.”

Politics reporter for The Los Angeles Times, Oreskes, accepted the award at NPF’s annual dinner Feb. 15 in Washington, D.C.

Everett McKinley Dirksen Award for Distinguished Reporting of Congress
Award value
$5,000
Award established
1980
Past Winners