Praxair welcomes passage of the Helium Stewardship Act of 2013

Through their unanimous passage of the Helium Stewardship Act of 2013 (H. Res. 527), the US Senate and House of Representatives voted to avert the pending shutdown of the Federal Helium Reserve, which would have dramatically reduced and destabilised the global helium supply.
 
“The legislation passed by Congress secures the continued operation of the reserve, maintains access to a significant percentage of the world’s helium supply and ensures Praxair’s continued reliable delivery of helium to customers. We thank all of the members of the House and Senate who have worked diligently alongside helium refiners, distributors and end users to pass this critical legislation,” said Dr Amer Akhras, Praxair’s General Manager, Helium and Rare Gases.
 
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The Act institutes a sales program with a transitional auction component that carefully winds down the Federal Helium Reserve. Provisions in the bill safeguard against supply chain disruptions, which could arise as an unintended consequence of an auction. As the Bureau of Land Management enters into rule-making, it will be necessary for those leading the process to develop guidelines in a manner consistent with the intentions of the bill.
 
Praxair has been an active participant in the Federal Helium Program since its inception, refining helium purchased from the reserve and distributing it to private and US government end users in the medical, automotive and technology sectors. Helium is an essential component in the manufacture and operation of MRI machines, semiconductors, fibre optic cables and automotive airbags.