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Floor Speech

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Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, today, the Senate will vote to confirm Jerry Blackwell to serve on the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota.

Mr. Blackwell will bring outstanding qualifications and deep experience to the Federal bench. He received his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill before entering private practice and, eventually, establishing his own law firm. Mr. Blackwell has specialized in commercial litigation, including mass torts, and he has represented Fortune 100 and Fortune 500 companies in a variety of matters.

But in addition to his success in the private sector, Mr. Blackwell has also answered the call to serve. In 2021, he served as a special prosecutor in the trial of Derek Chauvin, who was convicted for the horrific murder of George Floyd. Mr. Blackwell has also committed himself to increasing diversity in the legal profession by serving as a founding member of the Minnesota Association of Black Lawyers and the Minnesota Equity and Justice Project.

Given his broad, extensive experience, it is no surprise that the American Bar Association unanimously rated Mr. Blackwell ``well qualified'' to serve on the district court. He also enjoys the strong support of his home State Senators, Ms. Klobuchar and Ms. Smith. I am proud to support Mr. Blackwell's nomination, and I strongly urge my colleagues to do the same.

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