"(McCarthy) is just what we all should want in a citizen legislator. ... She understands the need to compromise and work across party lines. She understands people. ... She’s still one of us, not one of them."
–Newsday Column, 10/17/02
United States Representative Carolyn McCarthy is in her fifth term representing Long Island's 4th Congressional District. A life-long resident of Mineola, she has over 30 years experience as a nurse. Carolyn married Dennis McCarthy in 1967 and they raised one son, Kevin. Carolyn has two grandchildren, Denis and Grace, by Kevin and his wife Leslie.
Carolyn had led a mostly quiet life as a nurse, mother and housewife until she was thrust into the spotlight on December 7, 1993. On that day, her husband was killed and her son injured when a crazed gunman randomly shot into a rush hour commuter train returning from New York City to Long Island. Rather than allow this tragedy to defeat her, Carolyn turned the incident into a public campaign against gun violence.
Carolyn holds many honors, including Newsday's 100 Long Island Influentials, Long Island Business News' Long Island Top 50, Congressional Quarterly's 50 Most Effective Legislators, Redbook Magazine's Mothers and Shakers, Ladies' Home Journal 100 Most Important Women, and Advertising Age's list of "Most Impact by Women in 1999", and The American Organization of Nurse Executives' 2003 Honorary Member Award.
Committee Work
"...there’s more to McCarthy than limiting the ability of criminals to buy weapons. More and more, she has parlayed her experience as a nurse and mother into a growing expertise - and influence - on health and education issues.
–Newsday Editorial, 5/5/02 "Here’s How LI’s Congressional Delegation is Doin’"
Congresswoman McCarthy serves on the Education and Workforce Committee, and the Financial Services Committee. On these committees, Carolyn advances her goals to provide working families tax cuts, stimulate the economy, encourage investment, protect Long Islanders' savings and pensions, ensure every child a top education, and keep guns out of schools and away from criminals. She also wants to protect Social Security and Medicare for all Long Islanders.
Long Island schools, students and teachers remain the focus of Congresswoman McCarthy's work in Congress. Carolyn was a key figure in the passage of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, which contained her provisions to fund school nurses, after-school care and teacher mentoring programs. This year, she will work on the overhaul of the Higher Education Act, which provides a framework for the federal student loan program.