Former Rep. Carolyn Maloney honored for 9/11 work at US Capitol with portrait of her in firefighter jacket

Former Manhattan Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney was honored for her tireless work on behalf of 9/11 responders at the US Capitol Wednesday — with a new portrait depicting the 78-year-old politician wearing a firefighter jacket.

The 4-by-2 foot oil painting was unveiled to celebrate Maloney’s “iconic legacy as a champion” of 9/11 heroes and their families, including authoring a bill that secured billions of dollars in funding for them, supporters said.

The portrait shows Maloney wearing a firefighter jacket over a yellow gown, an outfit she wore to the 2019 Met Gala.

“It’s a really big day, I’m extremely honored,” Mahoney told The Post before the ceremony. “You get a lot of awards but this is by far my favorite award that I’m getting from the rank and file.”

Maloney —  who served as a New York congresswoman from 1993 to 2023 — authored the groundbreaking “James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act,” which gave $4.4 billion in federal funds to health programs for first responders.

She extended and fully funded the act in 2015 then helped pass the “Never Forget the Heroes Act” in 2019, which permanently reauthorized the 9/11 victim’s compensation fund with an additional $10.2 billion.

The bills provided health monitoring and aid to the first responders, who face increased rates of Leukemia, prostate and thyroid cancers following the terrorist attack due to exposure to toxic air.

A Mount Sinai report published in 2020 shows 9/11 recovery workers face a 41% higher risk of leukemia and a 219% increased risk of thyroid cancer.

“It took 20 years on a bipartisan basis to get this finally passed. It’s at least $22 billion coming into the city. It’s funded for the life of heroes and heroines,” Maloney said of the legislation.

The ceremony, held in the US Capitol’s Cannon Caucus Room, was attended by members of congress, FDNY leaders and other supporters.

“Maloney’s relentless advocacy has been instrumental in ensuring that those who risked their lives on 9/11 receive the support and compensation they deserve,” the FDNY Uniformed Firefighters Association said in a statement. 

“As health issues related to 9/11 persist, her work ensures that survivors and responders have access to necessary resources and care.”

Maloney is one of 16 influential women who have been honored with portraits at the U.S. Capitol. 

Maloney’s portrait was painted by the artist Sharon Sprung, who has previously depicted Michelle Obama and Patsy Mink, the first woman of color elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.