PRIA Logo™
119-s-2495119th CongressWALLET

Keep Call Centers in America Act of 2025

Sponsored By: Senator Gallego, Ruben [D-AZ]

Introduced

Summary

Preventing relocation of call center work overseas is the main goal of the Keep Call Centers in America Act of 2025. It would also force disclosures about where customer-service agents and AI operate and give the Federal Trade Commission authority to enforce those disclosure rules, with most provisions taking effect one year after enactment.

Show full summary
  • Employers: Companies that move or contract call center work abroad would be placed on a public list and face penalties. Listed firms could be ineligible for federal grants or guaranteed loans for five years, face daily civil fines, an 8.3 percent monthly reduction on grant or loan disbursements while listed, and possible clawbacks.
  • Workers and consumers: Businesses would have to disclose the physical location of agents and whether AI is being used at the start of each interaction. Customers could request a transfer to a U.S.-based human agent, companies must certify compliance annually to the Federal Trade Commission, and the law would forbid withholding federal benefits from workers whose employer relocates operations.
  • Federal contracting and oversight: Call center work on federal civilian or defense contracts would have to be performed inside the United States and contracting would favor U.S. firms not on the list. The Secretary of Labor would report annually on federal call center locations, the split between federal employees and contractors, and job losses tied to AI.

Personalized for You

How does this bill affect your finances?

Personalize government policy and PRIA will tell you what this bill means for your household, plus every other piece of legislation we track. PRIA reads each provision against your financial profile to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.

Free to download

Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

4 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.

Protect workers' federal benefits

If enacted, workers would not lose federal payments or benefits because their employer moves work overseas. This would protect access to Federal unemployment compensation, disability payments, and worker retraining or readjustment funds even if an employer relocates operations.

Customer call disclosures and AI rules

If enacted, businesses that start or receive customer service communications would have to say at the start of each call where the agent is located. If the agent is outside the United States, the business must tell you that you can ask to be immediately transferred to a human agent physically located in the United States. If a nonhuman AI or machine is used, the business must disclose that fact and offer an immediate transfer to a U.S.-based human, including voice-command transfer if possible. There are limited exceptions. Each year companies must certify to the FTC whether they complied. The FTC must write implementing rules within one year and would enforce the requirements. These communication rules apply to customer service interactions that happen one year after enactment.

Public list and notice for employers

If enacted, employers with covered call centers would have to give the Secretary 120 days' notice before moving or contracting call center work overseas. The bill would define covered employers as those with 50 or more call center workers, or 50 workers who together work at least 1,500 hours per week; part-time means under 20 hours per week on average or employed fewer than 6 of the last 12 months. Moving at least 30% of total call volume counts as contracting overseas. The Secretary would keep a public list of such employers for up to 5 years and must remove employers that return equal or greater jobs to the U.S. Failing to give the 120-day notice could mean civil fines up to $10,000 per day. These rules would apply starting one year after enactment.

Federal grants and contracting rules

If enacted, employers placed on the public list could not get any direct or indirect Federal grants or guaranteed loans for 5 years. An employer can certify it will meet list-removal terms within 180 days to receive a new award, but awards will be cancelled and clawed back if the employer fails. Employers with existing awards who are added to the list would stop getting disbursements and pay a monthly penalty equal to 8.3% of total amounts already disbursed; agencies must cancel awards if the employer stays listed one year after the first penalty. Federal agencies would also be required to prefer U.S. employers not on the list and to include contract terms that any call center work under a civilian or defense contract (and subcontracts) must be performed inside the United States. Agencies may waive the grant/loan ban in narrow cases for national security, large job loss, or environmental harm. These contracting and grant rules would take effect one year after enactment.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Gallego, Ruben [D-AZ]

AZ • D

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Justice, James C. [R-WV]

    WV • R

    Sponsored 7/29/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

View on Congress.gov
Back to Legislation