Press Releases

WASHINGTON - Today, Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester’s (D-Del.) Clean Slate Act (H.R. 2348) was highlighted during a House Judiciary Committee, Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security Subcommittee hearing on reentry. Congressman Guy Reschenthaler (R-Pa.), the Republican lead sponsor of the Clean Slate Act, served as the ranking member of the subcommittee for the hearing. 

The bipartisan bill would automatically seal an individual’s federal criminal record if they have been convicted of certain nonviolent drug offenses, and it would create a groundbreaking new procedure that allows individuals to petition the United States Courts to seal records for nonviolent offenses that are not automatically sealed. 

“We know that if we want to reduce recidivism in this country, it starts with giving citizens who have made a mistake and paid their debt to society a second chance and a clean slate,” said Rep. Blunt Rochester. “I’m pleased that the Clean Slate Act that I introduced with Representative Reschenthaler was one of the solutions that the Judiciary Committee considered in our nation’s approach to reducing recidivism in today’s hearing. I look forward to working with my colleagues in continuing to advance this critical piece of legislation so that the American Dream can become a real possibility for our returning citizens.”

“When I served as a district judge in southwestern Pennsylvania, I saw firsthand the revolving door to prison,” said Rep. Reschenthaler. “Working on the front lines of our judicial system showed me we can reduce crime by giving these individuals the tools they need to live productive and fulfilling lives. The Clean Slate Act does that by eliminating one of the primary barriers to housing, education, and employment for individuals with criminals records. I will continue to work with Representative Blunt Rochester to get this bill over the finish line so we can help those reentering society fully participate and contribute in their communities.”

According to estimates from the Center for American Progress, roughly 9 in 10 employers, 4 in 5 landlords, and 3 in 5 colleges use background check systems, which can result in a minor record or arrest leading to lifelong societal barriers. By automatically sealing the records of certain nonviolent drug offenders and creating a system for others who have paid their debt to society to have their records sealed, this bill will boost the U.S. economy by as much as $87 billion per year, create a second chance for re-entering citizens, and reverse the long-term societal barriers and consequences created by U.S. drug enforcement policy.

The bill is endorsed by a bipartisan coalition including the Center for American Progress, FreedomWorks, and the American Conservative Union. A full list of supporters of the clean slate model advancing in the states can be found at www.cleanslateinitiative.org.

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