A bipartisan bill that would safeguard access to helium in the U.S. by preventing the closure of the Federal Helium Reserve has been introduced in the Senate.
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) submitted SB 783, the Helium Stewardship Act of 2013, on April 23. The bill follows on the heels of the Responsible Helium Administration and Stewardship Act (HR 527), which was introduced to the House in February by Reps. Doc Hastings (R-WA) and Edward Markey (D-MA).
Liquid helium is used to cool MRI magnets to temperatures suitable for imaging, and MRI systems must be refilled regularly to maintain normal operating temperatures.
