From Missouri Digital News: https://mdn.org
MDN Menu

MDN Home

Journalist's Creed

Print

MDN Help

 MDN.ORG: Missouri Digital News
MDN Menu

MDN Home

Journalist's Creed

Print

MDN Help

 MDN.ORG Mo. Digital News Missouri Digital News MDN.ORG: Mo. Digital News MDN.ORG: Missouri Digital News
Help  

House committee hears testimony on bill to prevent outsourcing

March 30, 2004
By: Cliff Judy
State Capital Bureau

Right now, if you call a welfare phone number for food stamps, you could end up talking to someone in Bombay, India, but a Missouri House committee heard testimony to keep those calls within the country. Cliff Judy is in Jefferson City with the story.

Story:
RunTime:
OutCue: SOC

The House Communications Committee heard testimony on a bill to ban the state government and restrict private companies from using foreign call centers.

Representative Kevin Wilson said he opposed some of the wording in the bill but supported the idea of keeping telecommunications jobs local.

Actuality:
RunTime:
OutCue:
Contents: Wilson says, "I understand the concept. If it's feasible to do it inside the state of Missouri and use Missouri workers and even use United States workers, I would prefer to do that first."

The committee took no action on the bill, and Wilson said he did not expect the committee to take any further action on the bill in this legislative session. From the state Capitol, I'm Cliff Judy.

cej

Missourians, not Indians, would be answering welfare calls for food stamps according to a bill heard by a House committee. Cliff Judy has more from the state Capitol.

Story:
RunTime:
OutCue: SOC

Missouri representatives remained divided on a bill to ban the state government and restrict private companies from using foreign call centers.

Representative Kevin Wilson said the issue may not be so cut-and-dry as convincing Missouri businesses to keep their jobs local.

Actuality:
RunTime:
OutCue:
Contents: Wilson says, "Obviously, I'd rather have the jobs in the state of Missouri than somewhere else, but it was brought up by several people about the cost."

The House Communications Committee heard testimony on the bill but took no action. From the state Capitol, I'm Cliff Judy.

cej

Missouri legislators heard testimony on a bill to keep welfare phone calls in the U.S. and out of India. Cliff Judy is in Jefferson City with the story.

Story:
RunTime:
OutCue: SOC

Representative Jerry Bough said he supports the bill to ban the state government and restrict private businesses from using foreign call centers.

Bough pointed to last week's layoffs of two hundred telemarketers by MCI in Springfield, Missouri, as reason to keep foreign call centers away from Missouri businesses.

Actuality:
RunTime:
OutCue:
Contents: Bough says, "Folks, those are people that are going to draw unemployment instead of paying taxes. Now, what impact does that have on our state?"

The House Communications Committee heard testimony on the bill but took no action. From the state Capitol, I'm Cliff Judy

cej

A Missouri House committee heard testimony on a bill that would prevent welfare phone calls from being answered halfway across the globe. Cliff Judy has more from the state Capitol.

Story:
RunTime:
OutCue: SOC

Representative Jerry Bough voiced his support for a bill that would ban the state government and restrict private businesses from using foreign call centers.

Bough said he thought a potentially higher cost for keeping telecommunications jobs in Missouri was worth it.

Actuality:
RunTime:
OutCue:
Contents: Bough says, "Doing something like this, we can create jobs in the state. Even if it is a little cost to the state, I would prefer trying to employ people here locally, quite frankly."

The House Communications Committee heard testimony on the bill but took no action. From the state Capitol, I'm Cliff Judy.