Gallo, Dean Anderson, 1935-1994

U.S. Congressman from New Jersey.

From the description of Congressional papers, 1984-1994. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 155041623

• 1935: On November 23rd, Dean Anderson Gallo is born in Hackensack, New Jersey. (Subsequently grows up in Parsippany-Troy Hills Township, Morris County, New Jersey.)
• 1954: Graduates from Boonton High School, Boonton, New Jersey.
• 1954 - 1956 : Plays minor-league baseball for Brooklyn Dodgers organization.
• 1956: Marries first wife, Anne Schwenker, with whom he later has two children: Robert and Susan.
• 1960s: Forms real estate partnership with Alex DeCroce, later a New Jersey Assemblyman.
• 1966: Receives the Jaycee’s “Outstanding Young Man of the Year” award.
• 1967: Concerned over increasing urbanization of the Parsippany-Troy Hills area, and its lack of athletic fields and parks, joins the local recreation committee. In order to obtain more assistance for recreation programs, runs successfully as a Republican for the Parsippany-Troy Hills township council, thus beginning his political career.
• 1968 - 1969 : Serves as township Council Vice-President.
• 1970: Serves as Council President. Also seeks and wins a seat on the Morris County Board of Chosen Freeholders.
• 1973: Appointed Freeholder Director of Morris County Board of Chosen Freeholders.
• 1975: Defeats Democrat John J. Sinsimer for seat in the General Assembly in the (then) 24th Legislative District. Serves on the Joint Appropriations Committee and the Assembly Ways and Means Committee. (Is subsequently reelected to four additional terms.)
• 1976: Elected Assistant Minority Leader of New Jersey State Assembly.
• 1978: Named “Legislator of the Year” by the New Jersey Association of Counties.
• 1982: Elected State Assembly Minority Leader. Also named “Legislator of the Year” by the National Republican Legislators Association.
• 1984: Defeats eleven-term incumbent Joseph G. Minish (D-New Jersey) for seat in the United States House of Representatives from the state’s 11th Congressional District.
• 1985: Introduces H.R. 2969, which forms the basis of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act of 1986. Serves as Co-Chair of Congressional Caucus on Soviet Jewry. In April, travels to Central America (Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua) to evaluate the political situation and whether or not the United States should aid the Contra rebels in Nicaragua.
• 1985 - 1986 : Serves as a Republican Freshman Whip in the House; also serves on Public Works and Transportation Committee and Small Business Committee. During this period, also divorces his wife Anne.
• 1986: In May, travels to Soviet Union to meet with Soviet Jews who have been repeatedly denied exit visas (“refusniks”). In November, defeats Democrat Frank Askin to win election to a second term.
• 1987: Appointed Eastern Regional Republican Whip, a position he holds for the remainder of his Congressional career.
• 1987 - 1988 : Continues to serve on Public Works and Transportation Committee, as well as its Water Resources Subcommittee, Public Buildings and Grounds Subcommittee and Surface Transportation Subcommittee. Also continues to serve on Small Business Committee and joins its Exports, Tourism and Special Problems Subcommittee and Procurement, Innovation and Minority Enterprise Development Subcommittee. Heads the Small Business Export Opportunity Task Force.
• 1988: In November, defeats Democrat John C. Shaw to win reelection to a third term.
• 1989: Following Exxon Valdez oil-spill incident (March 24, 1989), introduces H.R. 2609, requiring installation of double hulls on all newly constructed oil tankers, but the bill dies in committee. Then introduces House Amendment 334, which mandates double hulls as part of H.R. 1465, an oil pollution-related bill introduced by another Representative. The bill, with Gallo’s amendment, becomes the Oil Pollution Act of 1990. His H.R. 584 is also incorporated into H.R. 3520, which becomes the Hazardous Materials Transportation Uniform Safety Act of 1990.
• 1989 - 1990 : Serves on House Appropriations Committee, as well as its District of Columbia Subcommittee and Foreign Operations, Export Financing and Related Programs Subcommittee. Also serves on Budget Committee.
• 1990: From February to March, travels to South Africa as part of a Joint Congressional Delegation to evaluate that country’s progress in reforming its government. In November, defeats Democrat Michael Gordon to win reelection to a fourth term.
• 1991: In April, is appointed to Executive Committee of the Environment and Energy Study Conference.
• 1991 - 1992 : Continues to serve on Appropriations Committee and its District of Columbia Subcommittee; also joins the Energy and Water Development Subcommittee.
• 1992: When diagnosed with prostate cancer, only informs his immediate family and a few close friends. In November, defeats Democrat Ona Spiridellis to win reelection to a fifth term.
• 1993: Persuades Department of Defense not to close Picatinny Arsenal (Morris County) under the Defense Base Realignment and Closure Act, arguing that the site is an important research facility.
• 1993 - 1994 : Continues to serve on Appropriations Committee. Also serves on Energy and Water Development Subcommittee and Veterans Administration, Housing and Urban Development and Independent Agencies Subcommittee. Is selected as Co-Chair of the Northeast-Midwest Congressional Coalition.
• 1994: In March, undergoes hip replacement surgery; his cancer, which had gone into remission following treatment, reappears shortly after the operation. In August, announces that he will retire from office at the end of his term. In September, marries fiancée Betty Schmidt at a private ceremony in the hospital. Dies of cancer on November 5th at St. Clare’s-Riverside Hospital in Denville, New Jersey, at the age of 58.

From the guide to the Dean A. Gallo Congressional Papers, 1982-1994, bulk 1984-1994, (Rutgers University Libraries. Special Collections and University Archives)