Jerome Ambro
Encyclopedia
Jerome Anthony Ambro, Jr. (June 27, 1928 – March 4, 1993) was a member of the United States House of Representatives
from 1975 to 1981.
Born in Brooklyn, New York, he attended Brooklyn public elementary schools and graduated from Grover Cleveland High School
, Queens, New York in 1946. Ambro earned a B.A. from New York University
in 1955.
He served in the United States Army
as a member of the Military Police from 1951-1953 where he attained the rank of sergeant. He served the town of Huntington
as a budget office and purchasing and personnel director from 1960–1967. Later, served on the Suffolk County, New York
Board of Supervisors from 1968–1969. From 1968-1974 he was served four terms as Supervisor for the town of Huntington. He was simultaneously chairman of Huntington's Urban Renewal
Agency, as well as president of Freeholders and Commonalty of the Town of Huntington.
In 1970, he challenged Basil Paterson
for the Democratic nomination for Lieutenant Governor of New York
, but was defeated in the primary election
.
He was elected as a Democrat
to the 94th
, 95th
and 96th United States Congress
es, and served from January 3, 1975, to January 3, 1981. After leaving Congress, Ambro worked as a lobbyist.
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 died in Alexandria, Virginia
on March 4, 1993. He is 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.
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from 1975 to 1981.
Born in Brooklyn, New York, he attended Brooklyn public elementary schools and graduated from Grover Cleveland High School
Grover Cleveland High School
Grover Cleveland High School or Cleveland High School is the name of several public high schools in the United States, named—except as noted—for President Grover Cleveland:* Grover Cleveland High School , Buffalo, New York...
, Queens, New York in 1946. Ambro earned a B.A. from New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
in 1955.
He served in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
as a member of the Military Police from 1951-1953 where he attained the rank of sergeant. He served the town of Huntington
Huntington, New York
The Town of Huntington is one of ten towns in Suffolk County, New York, USA. Founded in 1653, it is located on the north shore of Long Island in northwestern Suffolk County, with Long Island Sound to its north and Nassau County adjacent to the west. Huntington is part of the New York metropolitan...
as a budget office and purchasing and personnel director from 1960–1967. Later, served on the Suffolk County, New York
Suffolk County, New York
Suffolk County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York on the eastern portion of Long Island. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,493,350. It was named for the county of Suffolk in England, from which its earliest settlers came...
Board of Supervisors from 1968–1969. From 1968-1974 he was served four terms as Supervisor for the town of Huntington. He was simultaneously chairman of Huntington's Urban Renewal
Urban renewal
Urban renewal is a program of land redevelopment in areas of moderate to high density urban land use. Renewal has had both successes and failures. Its modern incarnation began in the late 19th century in developed nations and experienced an intense phase in the late 1940s – under the rubric of...
Agency, as well as president of Freeholders and Commonalty of the Town of Huntington.
In 1970, he challenged Basil Paterson
Basil Paterson
Basil Alexander Paterson , a labor lawyer, is a longtime political leader in New York and Harlem and father of the 55th Governor of New York, David Paterson. His mother was Jamaican, his father Grenadian.-Early life:...
for the Democratic nomination for Lieutenant Governor of New York
Lieutenant Governor of New York
The Lieutenant Governor of New York is a constitutional office in the executive branch of the government of New York State. It is the second highest ranking official in state government. The lieutenant governor is elected on a ticket with the governor for a four year term...
, but was defeated in the primary election
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
.
He was elected as a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
to the 94th
94th United States Congress
The Ninety-fourth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1975 to January 3, 1977, during the administration...
, 95th
95th United States Congress
The Ninety-fifth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1977 to January 3, 1979, during the first two years...
and 96th United States Congress
96th United States Congress
The Ninety-sixth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1979 to January 3, 1981, during the last two years...
es, and served from January 3, 1975, to January 3, 1981. After leaving Congress, Ambro worked as a lobbyist.
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
DDT
DDT is one of the most well-known synthetic insecticides. It is a chemical with a long, unique, and controversial history....
.
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
Massapequa, New York
Massapequa is a hamlet located in the suburban Nassau County, New York. As of the 2010 census, the CDP had a total population of 21,685.Massapequa is located on the South Shore of Long Island....
, and having Brookhaven National Laboratory
Brookhaven National Laboratory
Brookhaven National Laboratory , is a United States national laboratory located in Upton, New York on Long Island, and was formally established in 1947 at the site of Camp Upton, a former U.S. Army base...
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
Clean Water Act
The Clean Water Act is the primary federal law in the United States governing water pollution. Commonly abbreviated as the CWA, the act established the goals of eliminating releases of high amounts of toxic substances into water, eliminating additional water pollution by 1985, and ensuring that...
.
Ambro died in Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
on March 4, 1993. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...
.
The East Northport, New York
East Northport, New York
East Northport is a hamlet and census-designated place in the Town of Huntington in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 20,845 at the 2000 census.-Founding:...
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.