Dean Heller

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.

Dean is recognized as being one of the rising stars in Congress. The House leadership team appointed Dean Deputy Whip and he is a member of the Republican Policy Committee, which develops forward-thinking legislative ideas into public policy.

In 2009, at the start of his second term, Dean was appointed to the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, the smallest and most exclusive committee in the U.S. House of Representatives. The Ways and Means Committee is responsible for creating America's tax laws and overseeing laws regarding tariffs, trade, health care and social security. The committee plays a key role in dealing with economic recovery and Dean's membership on this committee places him in a unique position to directly influence legislation that helps Nevadans during tough economic times.

As a former member of the House Natural Resources Committee and as the Policy Chair of the Western Caucus, Dean continues to provide strong leadership for Nevada on issues such as private property rights, mining, public lands access and wildfire prevention. Dean continues to be successful in moving public lands legislation beneficial to local communities throughout Nevada.

Since Dean's election to Congress, he has been at the forefront in the fight for fiscal responsibility in Washington. He has voted against hundreds of billions in tax increases, expansion of government and out-of-control spending. Dean was also the only member of the Nevada delegation to vote against the Wall Street bailout. With skyrocketing spending and record deficits in Washington, Dean continues to advocate for balanced budgets and fiscal sanity in Congress.

Prior to his Congressional service, Dean served two terms in Nevada's State Assembly -- representing Carson City -- where he authored legislation to protect the public employees' retirement system. During three terms as Secretary of State, Dean provided leadership for Nevada to become the first state in the country to implement an auditable paper trail for electronic voting machines.

Raised in Carson City, Dean 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 twenty-five years and have raised their four children -- Hilary, Harris, Drew, and Emmy -- in Carson City. Dean enjoys stockcar racing, basketball, golf, snowboarding and attending his children's events.