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Floor Speech

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Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, today, the Senate will vote to confirm U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan Bazis to the U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska.

Judge Bazis's deep ties to Nebraska and experience in the courtroom as a litigator and on the bench have prepared her to serve as a U.S. District Judge. A graduate of the University of Nebraska and Creighton University School of Law, Judge Bazis worked as a Douglas County public defender and later in private practice, including as a solo practitioner. Over the course of her legal career, she tried approximately 675 cases to verdict in front of administrative hearing officers and approximately 150 cases to verdict in courts of record.

In 2007, Judge Bazis was appointed to serve as a Douglas County Court judge, presiding over criminal, civil, probate, and protection order matters. Since 2017, she has served as a U.S. magistrate judge for the District of Nebraska. In over 15 years on the bench, she has presided over 550 cases that have gone to verdict or judgment.

Judge Bazis has the strong support from her home State Senators, Mrs. Fischer and Mr. Ricketts. In addition, she was unanimously rated ``well qualified'' by the American Bar Association. Judge Bazis's significant courtroom experience as a litigator and as a jurist will ensure that she will continue to be an asset on the federal bench.

I urge my colleagues to support Judge Bazis's nomination.

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