Heil first became a member of the Bundestag in the
2009 German federal election. She served on the Committee on Labour and Social Affairs (2009-2010) and the Sports Committee (2009-2013) before moving to the Committee on Legal Affairs and Consumer Protection in 2013. In the negotiations to form a
Grand Coalition of the Christian Democrats (CDU together with the Bavarian
CSU) and the
SPD under the leadership of
Chancellor Angela Merkel following the
2013 elections, Heil was part of the CDU/CSU delegation in the working group on the environment and agriculture, led by
Katherina Reiche and
Ute Vogt. In similar negotiations following the
2017 federal elections, she was part of the working group on internal and legal affairs, led by
Thomas de Maizière,
Stephan Mayer and
Heiko Maas. From 2018 to 2021, she chaired the Committee on Building, Housing, Urban Development and Local Government. Since 2025, Heil has been serving as chairwoman of the German Parliament's Committee on Human Rights and Humanitarian Aid. == Other activities ==