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Born in Brooklyn, McCarthy studied nursing and lived with her family in the Long Island town of Mineola, a suburban area near New York City, with her husband, Dennis, and son, Kevin. On December 7, 1993 her husband was killed and her son was injured on a commuter train returning to Mineola, when a gunman, Colin Ferguson, opened fire on random passengers. McCarthy responded to the tragedy by launching a campaign against gunA gun is an aimable weapon that fires projectiles at high velocity, or a device that resembles such a weapon used for other purposes (e. glue gun in common usage. The term is also used for types of artillery with long barrels that fire at a relatively fla violence that eventually propelled her to Congress. She defeated a Republican Congressman who had repeatedly voted against bills related to gun control.
McCarthy serves on the Education and Workforce Committee , and the Financial Services Committee . In addition to her efforts to reduce gun violence, McCarthy is especially active in issues relating to education and public health.