Shelley Berkley

Shelley Berkley
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Nevada's 1st district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 1999
Preceded by	John Ensign
Personal details
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Larry Lehrner
Residence	Las Vegas, Nevada
Alma mater	University of Nevada, Las Vegas, University of San Diego
Profession	attorney

Rochelle "Shelley" Berkley (born Rochelle Levine January 20, 1951) is the U.S. Representative for Nevada's 1st congressional district, serving since 1999. She is a member of the Democratic Party.

The district includes most of the city of Las Vegas as well as the Las Vegas Strip. She is the first Jewish woman and second member of the Jewish faith elected to Congress from Nevada, the other being "Chic" Hecht. She is also the second woman elected to Congress from Nevada, and the first elected as a Democrat.

Early life, education, and legal career

Born in New York City, Berkley moved with her family to Nevada when she was a junior high school student. Her mother is of Greek Jewish descent. She attended the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and earned a degree in political science and served as the UNLV Student Body President. She was also a member of Delta Zeta sorority. She then entered the University of San Diego School of Law, graduating with a degree in Law.

Berkley practiced law for several years, mainly as a member of the legal counsel for several Las Vegas casinos. She also served as the national director for the American Hotel-Motel Association.

Berkley was appointed vice chair of the Nevada University System Board of Regents, serving from 1990 to 1998.

Nevada legislature

Berkley served in the Nevada Assembly from 1982 to 1984 and was involved in civic affairs locally. While in the state legislature, she advocated consumer safety laws, campaigned against drunken driving, and founded the Senior Law Project.

U.S. House of Representatives

Tenure

Berkley is a member of the New Democrat Coalition. She views her top priorities as affordable health care coverage for all Americans, veteran's rights, and alternative energy. She is also strongly opposed to the building of a nuclear waste repository in Yucca Mountain, Nevada. The Sunlight Foundation pointed out that among the 435 members of the U.S. House of Representatives, Berkley has the 12th-highest amount of investment in oil stocks.

Berkley is known as one of the supporters of the drive to regulate online gambling. She was one of the few congressional members to oppose Bill Frist's addition of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006, to the unrelated SAFE Port Act. As a member of Congress she has yet to author a single piece of legislation.

On October 10, 2002, Shelley Berkley was among the 81 House Democrats who voted in favor of authorizing the invasion of Iraq.

On September 29, 2008, Shelley Berkley was among the 95 House Democrats who voted against the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008.

According to the Haaretz correspondent Natasha Mozgovaya, in its online edition of 3/5/09; "Berkley, a Jewish politician well-known for her support of Israel, backed the Israeli operation in Gaza during December and January, and even told Haaretz that Israel may have been too tolerant (earlier)."

Committee assignments

• Committee on Foreign Affairs
  • Subcommittee on Europe
  • Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia
• Committee on Ways and Means
  • Subcommittee on Health
  • Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support

External links

• U.S. Representative Shelley Berkley official U.S. House site
• Shelley Berkley for Congress official campaign site
• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
• Profile at Vote Smart
• Profile at SourceWatch
• Kira Wissman, Internet Gambling Bill Would Not Prohibit Online Poker Says Congresswoman gambling911.com, October 9, 2006