Richard Bryan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Richard Bryan
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| Chair of the Senate Ethics Committee | |
| In office January 3, 1993 – January 3, 1995 |
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| Preceded by | Terry Sanford |
| Succeeded by | Mitch McConnell |
| United States Senator from Nevada |
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| In office January 3, 1989 – January 3, 2001 |
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| Preceded by | Chic Hecht |
| Succeeded by | John Ensign |
| 25th Governor of Nevada | |
| In office January 3, 1983 – January 3, 1989 |
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| Lieutenant | Bob Cashell Bob Miller |
| Preceded by | Robert List |
| Succeeded by | Bob Miller |
| 27th Attorney General of Nevada | |
| In office January 1, 1979 – January 3, 1983 |
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| Governor | Robert List |
| Preceded by | Robert List |
| Succeeded by | Brian McKay |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Richard Hudson Bryan
July 16, 1937 Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Bonnie Fairchild
(m. 1962; died 2016) |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | University of Nevada, Reno (BA) University of California, Hastings (JD) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Army |
| Service years | 1959–1960 |
Richard Hudson Bryan (born July 16, 1937) is a retired American lawyer and politician. He is best known for serving as the Governor of Nevada and later as a U.S. Senator for the state of Nevada. As a member of the Democratic Party, he held important government jobs for many years.
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Early Life and Education
Richard Bryan was born in Washington, D.C.. He went to college at the University of Nevada in Reno, graduating in 1959. After that, he studied law at the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, and earned a law degree.
In 1963, he was officially allowed to work as a lawyer in Nevada. He started his career as the first public defender for Clark County. A public defender is a lawyer who helps people who cannot afford to hire their own lawyer for a court case.
A Career in Politics
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Bryan's career in politics began when he was elected to the Nevada Senate in 1972. He served there for six years. In 1979, he became the Nevada Attorney General. The attorney general is the top lawyer and law enforcement officer for the state. He held this job until 1983.
Governor of Nevada
In 1982, Bryan ran for Governor of Nevada against the current governor, Robert List. Bryan won the election and took office in 1983. He was very popular and was easily re-elected for a second term in 1986.
As governor, he was known for being friendly and working well with lawmakers from both political parties. He often invited them to the governor's mansion for meals, which helped create a good working relationship.
Serving in the U.S. Senate
In 1988, Bryan decided to run for the United States Senate. The U.S. Senate is a part of the U.S. Congress in Washington, D.C., where laws for the whole country are made. He won the election and became one of two senators representing Nevada.
During his time in the Senate, from 1989 to 2001, Bryan worked on several important committees. These included committees that dealt with the country's money, banking, and national security.
Key Issues in the Senate
One of Bryan's most famous actions was his opposition to the Search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) program. This was a NASA project that used large radio telescopes to listen for signals from aliens in space. Bryan argued that it was a waste of money, saying, "Not a single Martian has said take me to your leader." He successfully got the project's funding canceled in 1993.
Bryan also worked hard to stop the U.S. government from storing nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain in Nevada. He was worried about the safety and environmental risks. Because of his strong opposition, the plan to use Yucca Mountain as a permanent storage site was delayed for many years and eventually stopped.
Bryan was re-elected to the Senate in 1994 but chose not to run for a third term in 2000. He retired from politics in 2001.
