A bipartisan group of United States (US) senators has introduced legislation that could have ripple effects for remote interpreting providers and multilingual customer service operations with staff based outside the US, according to a CBS News article. The “Keep Call Centers in America Act of 2025” (S.2495) was introduced in the Senate on July 29 by Democratic Senator Ruben Gallego, with Republican Senator James Justice as a co-sponsor. The bill targets two main areas: outsourcing of call center work abroad and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in customer service.
The bill defines a call center as any operation in which employees — whether in a facility or working from home — handle incoming calls, emails, or other electronic communications to provide customer assistance or other services. This definition could potentially extend to remote interpreters and multilingual support agents, particularly those employed by large language service providers (LSPs) with personnel in multiple countries.
If enacted, the legislation would require US employers to notify the federal government before moving call center work offshore. “Contracting call center work overseas” is defined as transferring at least 30% of a center’s annual work volume to an overseas entity. Employers making such moves would be placed on a public list and barred from receiving federal grants or federally guaranteed loans for five years. Those already benefiting from such funding would have to repay grants or loans if added to the list, unless they qualify for exceptions based on national security, job preservation, or environmental concerns. Agencies awarding federal contracts would also have to give preference to companies not on the list, and any call center work under those contracts would have to be conducted in the US.
The bill would also require businesses using AI in customer service to disclose that fact at the start of an interaction. Consumers could request to be transferred to a human agent located in the US. Human agents would be required to disclose their physical location at the start of a call or interaction. If based outside the US, consumers could request a transfer to a US-based agent. Exceptions would apply to emergency services, cases where all customer service personnel are US-based, or situations where consumers are reasonably expected to know the agent’s location. The Federal Trade Commission could also grant exemptions in “exceptionally compelling” circumstances.
According to the CBS News article, the bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. It remains unclear whether remote interpreting and multilingual service providers would be explicitly covered or exempted if the legislation moves forward. Given its broad definitions and potential reach, the proposal is one for the language industry to watch closely.
