This news is just in from the CWA:
House Members to Roll Out ‘Press One For America’ Call Center Bill
Legislation Lets Consumers Choose U.S. Based Call Centers, Bans Tax Dollars for Companies that Offshore U.S. Call Center Jobs, & Would Require Customer Service Reps to Identify Their Location – And Offer Consumers the Chance To Be Transferred To A U.S. Call Center
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Robert Casey Jr. (D-PA) will join House sponsors Rep. David McKinley (R-WV) and Rep. Tim Bishop (D-NY) along with members of the Communications Workers of America (CWA) to formally announce the bipartisan “U.S. Call Center and Worker Protection Act of 2013” (S. 1565/H.R. 2909) at 4 p.m. Wednesday, November 13th, 2013, capitol visitors center room 200.
The “Press One For America” section of the legislation requires call center employees to identify the country from which they are taking the call and, if outside the United States, offer the consumer the opportunity to be transferred to a facility located in the U.S. Furthermore, companies that send U.S. call center jobs offshore would be barred from receiving federal loans, grants or subsidies for three years.
Underscoring one of the reasons this legislation is needed, CWA will be releasing a comprehensive report on massive data security issues at overseas call centers that threaten the sensitive information of American consumers and small business owners.
This bipartisan bill is cosponsored in the Senate by Banking Committee Chair Tim Johnson (D-SD) and in the House of Representatives by Democrats Mike Michaud (ME-2) and Gene Green (TX-29), along with Republicans David McKinley (WVA-1), Michael Grimm (NY-11) and Chris Gibson (NY-19).