U.S. Congressman Dean Heller was elected to the United States Congress as Nevada’s Representative for the Second Congressional District on November 7, 2006.  Heller is only the third person to hold this seat since its creation.

Prior to Dean Heller’s service in Congress, he served two terms in Nevada’s State Assembly representing Carson City where he authored legislation making the public employees’ retirement system solvent.  As Secretary of State, Heller was the third highest-ranking constitutional officer in Nevada.  In this role he was responsible for Nevada’s Elections Division, Commercial Recordings Division, Securities Fraud Division and the Notary Division.  Heller provided leadership in his three terms as Nevada’s Secretary of State when Nevada became the first state in the country to implement an auditable paper trail to electronic voting machines.

Heller currently serves on the House Financial Services Committee, which oversees our country’s investment companies, banks, savings and loans, credit unions, insurance industry, and housing services. The Financial Services Committee is one of only four exclusive committees in the U.S. House of Representatives.  Heller became the first Nevadan freshman congressman since 1995 to be appointed to an exclusive committee.  House leadership appointed Heller specifically because if his background in financial services.  Membership on this committee has placed Congressman Heller in a unique position to have a direct influence on legislation dealing with the housing crisis in this country and advocate for Nevada’s needs to help bring an end to the high foreclosure rate. 

As a former member of the House Natural Resources Committee, Heller is still actively engaged in policies under this Committee’s jurisdiction. Issues such as mining, public land management and preventing wildfires continue to be top priorities for Congressman Heller.  As such, Heller led the fight against destructive mining reform legislation that would have placed Nevada’s mining jobs in jeopardy.  He also received a field hearing in Elko and was able to amend this legislation on the House floor.  Congressman Heller has been successful in moving public lands legislation beneficial to local communities through the committee and the House floor.  Heller currently holds a leadership position in the Western Caucus, which exists to advocate for the many needs of western states.          

Raised in Carson City, Dean Heller grew up with five brothers and sisters and graduated from Carson High School.  In 1985 he received a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of Southern California, specializing in finance and securities analysis, and worked as a stockbroker and as a broker/trader on the Pacific Stock Exchange.

Dean and his wife Lynne have been married for more than twenty years and have raised their four children; Hilary, Harris, Drew, and Emmy in Carson City.  The Congressman enjoys stockcar racing, basketball, golf, snowboarding, and attending his children’s events.