Rep's bill requires location of call center

Ted Strickland voted against the federal Do Not Call bill.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland has introduced a bill requiring telemarketers to identify their physical location at the beginning of each call.
Strickland of Lisbon, D-6th, introduced the Call Center Right to Know Act in 2004, but it never received a vote on the U.S. House floor. Strickland, a gubernatorial candidate, reintroduced the bill Thursday.
The legislation is intended to stop U.S. corporations from moving their call centers oversees in an attempt to increase profits, Strickland said.
"It's time [Americans] are given the opportunity to seek service from companies that keep jobs in the" United States, Strickland said.
Strickland said there are more than 50,000 call centers in the United States and about the same number abroad.
Besides placing sales calls, some of the centers answer inquiries about transactions and bills, provide technical support and process orders, Strickland said.
Purpose of his bill
The bill would give "consumers the ability to seek out telecom services and information based in the United States [and] lets ordinary Americans step up and support American workers," Strickland said.
There are about a half-dozen call centers in Strickland's 12-county congressional district, which includes Columbiana County and a portion of Mahoning County.
Strickland voted against the federal Do Not Call Implementation Act in 2003. That law bars telemarketers from phoning people at their homes who asked not to receive such calls.
The bill was overwhelmingly passed by Congress that year.
Strickland said he voted against the bill because he represents a district that is home to call centers.
skolnick@vindy.com