The Jacob K. Javits Prize for Bipartisan Leadership
Bold Leaders
Collaborative Solutions
The Jacob K. Javits Prize for Bipartisan Leadership, established in 2016 by The Marian B. and Jacob K. Javits Foundation, honors public servants who rise above partisanship to advance the common good. Named for U.S. Senator Jacob Javits (R-NY), a principled leader known for building unlikely coalitions, the prize celebrates the kind of cross-partisan leadership our democracy needs now more than ever. In recognizing those who put progress over politics, the Javits Prize serves as both an example and an invitation—to meet the moment, bridge divides, and shape a stronger future together.
In 2025, the Foundation announced that Future Caucus will assume stewardship of the Prize, which was previously administered by Results for America.
“Senator Javits believed that democracy depends on leaders who are willing to bridge their differences to do what’s right for the country. Future Caucus’ tireless efforts to build political bridges and empower a rising generation of lawmakers embody that belief, deeply aligning with my father’s own vision and values. In a time of historic political division, the young leaders of the Congressional Future Caucus and State Future Caucus Network remind us that courage, compassion, and common ground are still essential to American politics.”
2019 Javits Prize Recipients
The Late U.S. Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN)
U.S. Representative Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
U.S. Representative Doug Collins (R-GA)
2018 Javits Prize Recipients
The Late U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ)
U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI)
2017 Javits Prize Recipients
Vice President Joe Biden
U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH)
U.S. Representative Diana DeGette (D-CO)
U.S. Representative Fred Upton (R-MI)
2016 Javits Prize Recipients
U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME)
U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ)
U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-SC)
“Bipartisan solutions are the greatest solutions, and we should always be striving to add more seats to the table—not fewer. Working with those on the opposite side of an issue and negotiating in good faith produces the best legislation—legislation that will stand the test of time.”
About the Javits Prize
The Jacob K. Javits Prize for Bipartisan Leadership honors Members of Congress who break through gridlock to move our country forward.
Established in 2016 with Opportunity Nation, the Prize recognizes those who embody the late Senator Jacob Javits’ (R-NY) commitment to principled leadership and cross-partisan problem solving. The inaugural honorees included Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), for her distinguished career in public service, and Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Tim Scott (R-SC), for their emerging partnership across party lines.
Since then, the Prize has celebrated lawmakers who have worked across divides to achieve meaningful progress on behalf of the American people. Recipients include Senator Rob Portman (R-OH), former Vice President Joe Biden, Representatives Fred Upton (R-MI) and Diana DeGette (D-CO) in 2017; the late Senator John McCain (R-AZ) and Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) in 2018, for their bipartisan leadership on the Senate Armed Services Committee; and the late Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN), alongside Representatives Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and Doug Collins (R-GA), for their work on the bipartisan criminal justice reform bill, the FIRST STEP Act, in 2019.
Nominees for the Javits Prize are recommended by a broad coalition of individuals and institutions committed to revitalizing American democracy. Honorees are selected by a distinguished committee convened by the Foundation, composed of leaders from across the public and private sectors who themselves exemplify service above partisanship.
“We are honored to carry forward this incredible legacy. At a time when Americans yearn for leaders who put people over politics, the Javits Prize is a powerful reminder that principled, bipartisan leadership is not a hallmark of the past—it’s the path forward. The Javits Prize honors the leaders who are choosing to meet this moment with courage and with an eye toward the country we can become.”
About Senator Jacob Javits
Senator Javits was a man of the Congress, serving for more than thirty years in the U.S. House and Senate and as New York State Attorney General. The legislation he conceived and crafted had the hallmarks of addressing structural national problems and deep inequities in practical and ingenious ways, balancing government and private sector concerns and competencies. Unthinking partisanship and party absolutism were anathema to him. He frequently forged coalitions and agreements across partisan lines.
Senator Javits was a man of action. He served the public by getting things done to improve the life of the nation and its people. He was one of the most prominent Republicans to consistently seek out this kind of compromise across the aisle, and he was widely respected by both political parties for his ability to do so, while holding to important principles, and advancing policies that benefited the country.
The Javits Archives
Senator Jacob K. Javits Collection: A Special Collection at Stony Brook University
The collection covers Senator Javits’ 34 years of public service, including eight years in the U.S. House of Representatives (1947-1955), 24 years in the U.S. Senate (1957-1981) and two years (1955-1956) as Attorney General of the State of New York. Visit the archives at Stony Brook University – which include more than 1.8 million items, including papers, photos, audio and videotape recordings, cartoons and much more – to learn more about Senator Javits’ life and bipartisan accomplishments.
Contact Us
For more about the Javits Prize, please contact us at [email protected].
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