A similar bill was introduced in 2013
Reps. Gene Green (D-TX 29th District) and David McKinley (R-WV 1st District) on Thursday reintroduced a bipartisan bill in the US Congress against outsourcing jobs, PTI reported.
The US Call Center and Consumer Protection Act makes companies that move call centers overseas ineligible for grants or guaranteed loans from the government.
“Being on the list would make these actors ineligible for federal grants or guaranteed loans, would require overseas call centers to disclose their locations to customers, and would require them to comply with US consumers’ request to be transferred to a service agent physically located in the US,” the lawmakers said in a joint statement, the news agency reported.
Earlier in 2013, a similar bill was introduced that would have required disclosure of a call center’s location to consumers, along with the option to transfer to a domestic call center.
“It is important that American workers continue to have access to good service sector jobs and receive a livable wage,” Green said.
He said that there are 54,000 call center jobs in the Greater Houston area alone and 2.5 million nationwide.
“Unfortunately, we have seen call center jobs moved overseas to India, the Philippines, and other countries. This bipartisan legislation will protect call center workers in Texas and throughout the country, and American consumers from unfair treatment,” he said.
The congressmen observed that there has been an increase in companies relocating call centers overseas where foreign worker are often paid cheaper wages and exposed to dismal labor conditions.
“Our number one priority in Congress is protecting and creating American jobs,” said McKinley, the news agency reported.
“Plain and simple, we should not be rewarding companies for moving jobs offshore. This bill does not mandate that companies keep call centers here in America, but simply says if you move call center jobs offshore, you don’t receive funding from the government. This should be common sense,” he added.