Congress should seal eligible records that keep Americans out of work

I know what a second chance can make possible. 

As a teenager, I faced court-ordered consequences, including a fine and community service. My record was ultimately expunged, and I went on to attend college and work for Republican members of Congress. Accountability and an opportunity to move forward both shaped my path.

That experience informs a question Congress should be asking: When people have met the law’s requirements and are ready to contribute, why leave unnecessary barriers in their way?

Lawmakers who want more people working, more families supporting themselves and better returns on taxpayer investments should pass the bipartisan Clean Slate Act. The legislation would remove barriers created by eligible federal arrest and conviction records, giving more Americans a meaningful opportunity to earn a living.

The Clean Slate Initiative’s recent report, “The Economic Losses from Arrest and Conviction Records,” estimates that arrest and conviction records are associated with $440 billion in lost earnings nationwide each year. The research finds persistent employment and earnings disadvantages even among people who were never convicted and those who went more than a decade without further contact with the legal system.

Compared with statistically similar peers without them, people with arrest or non-conviction records faced estimated annual earnings losses of $4,400. For people with nonviolent felony convictions, the estimate reached $9,300. Those are substantial sums for a family trying to cover rent, save for emergencies or put a child through college. Lower earnings also mean less spending at local businesses.

The $440 billion estimate covers records........

© The Hill