Sidney Richard Yates (August 27, 1909 – October 5, 2000) was an American politician from the state of Illinois. A native of Chicago, he graduated from Lake View High School in 1928. He received bachelor's (1931) and law (1933) degrees from the University of Chicago, was admitted to the bar, and practiced law in Chicago. In addition to working as an attorney, Yates also played semiprofessional basketball in the 1930s. He gained his initial experience in government as an attorney for the state bank receiver (1935-1937), and an assistant state attorney general specializing in traction railroads for the Illinois Commerce Commission (1937-1940). During World War II, Yates served in the United States Navy for two years (1944-1946) as an attorney based in Washington, D.C. In 1948, Yates was elected to Congress, and he served from 1949 to 1963. After an unsuccessful run against Everett Dirksen for the United States Senate in 1962, in 1964 Yates was again elected to the House. He served from 1965 to 1999, and did not run for reelection in 1998. He was a longtime member of the House Appropriations Committee, where he became known for staunch U.S. support of Israel, and federal funding for parks, historical conservation, and the arts. Yates was also an advocate for several liberal causes, including opposition to discrimination based on age. At the time he concluded his service, he was third oldest person to ever serve in the House (age 89) behind Charles Manly Stedman and Isaac R. Sherwood, and one of the longest-tenured members in the history of Congress (total House service of 48 years). Yates died in Washington in 2000. He was buried at Memorial Park Cemetery in Skokie, Illinois. Early life Yates was born in Chicago, Illinois, the youngest of six children of Lithuanian Jewish immigrants Louis and Ida Yates. He grew up in Chicago and was an office boy at Variety Chicago office during the 1920s. He graduated from the University of Chicago in 1931 with a Bachelor of Philosophy degree and received a Juris Doctor from the University of Chicago Law School in 1933. While in college, Yates joined the Pi Lambda Phi fraternity. He also played basketball, and was selected for All Big Ten honors. In the mid-1930s, he played semiprofessional basketball and practiced law. Yates was an attorney for the Illinois state bank receiver from 1935 to 1937. From 1937 to 1940 he