A bill sponsored by Representative Paul Cook of Yucca Valley to amend the Mineral Leasing Act to allow helium extraction from federal lands—under the same terms as those for gas and oil—was passed by the House of Representatives Wednesday. Helium is used not only for balloons, but in MRIs, air-to-missile guidance systems, and semiconductors. After helium is mined, it is stored in the Federal Helium Reserve which has about 40 percent of the helium needed to meet demand; however, a 2013 law requires that the helium reserve be sold by 2021 and the facility closed. Following the United States in mining helium are Algeria, Qatar, and Russia. Cook said that given the political, economic, and diplomatic uncertainty surrounding many of the largest foreign suppliers of helium, it would be dangerous for America to become dependent on them. The bill now goes to the Senate.
