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The National Congress of American Indians said on Saturday that Mr. Santorum’s remarks “propagated systematic expunction of American Indian peoples’ culture and contributions to the United States.”

These and other expunction laws are designed to remove what are deemed as youthful indiscretions that show up in background checks for employment and housing.

Criminal pardons and expunctions cannot be considered in hiring, either.

The measure, which cleared the House last week, builds upon recent expunction laws that allow people who committed crimes due to youthful indiscretions to eliminate obstacles in background checks for employment, housing and other needs.

Some lawmakers worried the bill could create extra work for clerks who must process the automatic expunctions, but they still supported the measure.