[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 7]
[Senate]
[Page 10141]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           YANDLE NOMINATION

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I rise in support of Staci Yandle, who has 
been nominated to serve as a Federal district court judge in the 
Southern District of Illinois. She is going to replace a fine Federal 
judge, J. Philip Gilbert, who took senior status in March. It is a 
judicial emergency, so I am glad we are moving to it today.
  Staci Yandle has the experience, integrity, and the judgment to be an 
excellent Federal judge. Born in Centreville, IL--incidentally, the 
hometown of my wife--she currently lives in Carlyle, IL, downstate. She 
received her undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois and 
her law degree from Vanderbilt.
  Over the course of her career, Staci Yandle has gained extensive 
experience in the courtroom. She has her own solo practice based in 
O'Fallon, IL, which she has operated now for 7 years. She has worked 
for several outstanding law firms in southern Illinois and handled a 
wide range of litigation matters, including employment, education, 
medical injury, civil rights, and nursing home abuse cases. She also 
worked as an arbitrator for the Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court in 
Illinois.
  Ms. Yandle currently serves on the board of the Illinois Bar 
Foundation. She has taught as an adjunct law professor at the St. Louis 
University School of Law.
  Additionally, she has a distinguished record of pro bono service in 
southern Illinois, representing indigent clients and nonprofit 
corporations, including the Delta Economic Development Corporation, 
which operates a childcare center in St. Clair County.
  Ms. Yandle's nomination is historic in several respects. Never before 
in the course of the history of our State has there been an Article III 
Federal judge who was openly a member of the LGBT community. Upon 
confirmation, Staci Yandle will be the first. Upon confirmation, she 
will also be the first African-American Federal judge ever to serve in 
the Southern District of Illinois. She will be only the second woman to 
serve, as she is joining Nancy Rosenstengel, who was approved by the 
Senate just a few weeks ago.
  In short, Staci Yandle's confirmation marks another important 
milestone in America's journey toward equality of opportunity.
  Ms. Yandle was recommended to me by a bipartisan screening committee 
which I established to take a look at all of the judicial candidates, 
and I was pleased to recommend her to President Obama. He forwarded her 
nomination for consideration by the Senate Judiciary Committee where it 
passed with a strong vote. I hope there will be an equally strong vote 
today in support of her nomination.
  In conclusion, Ms. Yandle is an excellent nominee and I hope my 
colleagues will join me in voting to confirm her.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Washington.

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