Jerome Ambro

Jerome Anthony Ambro, Jr. (June 27 1928 - March 4, 1993) was a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1975 - 1981.

Born in Brooklyn, New York; attended Brooklyn public elementary schools; graduated from Grover Cleveland High School, Queens, New York (1946). Earned a B.A. from New York University (1955).

He served in the United States Army, Military Police, 1951-1953, attaining rank of sergeant; budget officer, purchasing and personnel director, Town of Huntington, New York, 1960 - 1967; served on Suffolk County, New York Board of Supervisors, 1968 - 1969; elected to four terms as Supervisor, Huntington, New York, 1968 -1974; chairman, Huntington Urban Renewal Agency and president, Freeholders and Commonalty of the Town of Huntington, New York, 1968 - 1974.

He was elected as a Democrat to the Ninety-fourth, Ninety-fifth and Ninety-sixth Congresses (January 3, 1975 - January 3 1981); unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1980 to the Ninety-seventh Congress;

Ambro led the Democratic Party to its first sweep of Huntington elections in 35 years. While Ambro was in office, the town of Huntington became the first municipality to ban the use of the pesticide DDT.

During his first term in the House, Ambro was elected president of his 82-member freshman class. Ambro served on the Public Works and Transportation Committee, and was elected chairman of the House Science and Technology Committee Subcommittee on Natural Resources and the Environment. Ambro played a major role in winning the preservation of wetlands in Massapequa, New York, and having Brookhaven National Laboratory designated as the site of a high-energy reactor.

In 1980, Ambro authored an amendment to the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act (Section 106(f)) to require that the disposal of dredged material into Long Island Sound from any federal project, or from any non-federal project exceeding 25,000 cubic yards (19,000 m³), comply with the environmental criteria for ocean dumping under the MPRSA, in addition to the requirements of Section 404 of the Clean Water Act.

Ambro unsuccessfully ran for re-election to Congress in 1980. After leaving Congress, Ambro worked as a lobbyist.

Ambro died at Alexandria, Virginia on March 4 1993, aged 64, and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

The East Northport, New York post office building was renamed the Jerome Anthony Ambro, Jr. Post Office Building in 1998. The Town of Huntington named the Jerome Ambro Memorial Wetlands Preserve in honor of Ambro's conservation efforts.

Jerome Ambro (Jerry) was the son of Jerome G.Ambro & the former Angela D'Ambra. He is survived by his second wife of 13 years, Antoinette Salatto-Ambro ("Toni Ambro"). His surving children are Richard Ambro, David Ambro & Cathleen DeRolf and stepsons John O'Brien, Daniel (Danny) O'Brien, John (J.J.) J. Heeley & William (Willy) R. Heeley. He is missed immensely.

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