# Securing Helium for Science Act

This bill makes sure that scientists who receive federal research grants can continue buying helium from the government's helium reserve for the next eight years. Right now, the government has been selling off its helium stockpile, but once those sales end, researchers worried they'd have nowhere to get this crucial gas. Helium is essential for many types of scientific research—it's used in MRI machines, particle accelerators, and countless laboratory experiments. Without a reliable supply, important research could slow down or become too expensive to continue.

Here's how it works: The bill guarantees that any researcher holding a federal grant can purchase up to a share of 30 million cubic feet of helium per year directly from the government. The price starts at 5 percent higher than what the government was charging before, then increases by 5 percent each year. This gradual price increase is designed to eventually transition researchers to buying from private suppliers, but it gives them time to adjust rather than suddenly cutting them off. The government's obligation to sell helium to researchers lasts for eight years, or until someone buys the entire Federal Helium Reserve and agrees to take over this responsibility.

The bill also includes an important requirement: whoever buys the government's helium reserve must agree to continue selling helium to federal researchers on the same terms the government was offering. This prevents a private buyer from simply shutting off access to researchers once they take control. Essentially, the bill protects the scientific community from helium shortages while the market transitions from government supply to private sources.

Securing Helium for Science Act

Rep. Neguse, Joe [D-CO-2]

Securing Helium for Science Act This bill revises requirements governing the sale of the Federal Helium Reserve. Under current law, the federal government must sell or dispose of all assets of the Federal Helium Reserve by Sept 30, 2021. The bill requires any purchaser of the assets to agree to provide helium to holders of federal research grants at a discounted rate for the next eight years as specified by the bill.