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 National Press Foundation will award the 2025 Dirksen Award to Jennifer Shutt, a senior reporter for States Newsroom. NPF judges recognized Shutt’s important and clear reporting on rapidly evolving Congressional action including the potential impact of Medicaid cuts on rural hospitals, shifts in FEMA duties and funding tribal radio stations.
“Jennifer Shutt stands out by demonstrating clear, accessible reporting that connects national policy to real people rather than to political insiders,” the NPF judging panel said. “States Newsroom ‘punches above its weight’ among more resourced news organizations by focusing on issues that matter to readers and presenting them in readable, straightforward language.”
The judges said Shutt’s emphasis on economic impact and human consequences is a strength and “by avoiding ‘horse race’ political coverage she delivered meaningful, impactful journalism.”
Shutt accepted the award at the National Press Foundation Annual Awards Dinner on Thursday, March 12, 2026, at the Ritz-Carlton in Washington, D.C.
The National Press Foundation awarded the 2024 Everett McKinley Dirksen Award for Distinguished Reporting of Congress to Benjamin Guggenheim of Politico. NPF judges recognized Guggenheim’s investigation into tax-advantaged retirement savings legislation as well-researched, digestible and easy to read.
In the wake of overwhelming bipartisan support for the Secure 2.0 bill, Guggenheim turned his attention to retirement industry lobbying and campaign funding.
