Oversight Hearing on:

• "Implementation and Administration of the 2013 Helium Stewardship Act"

Archived Video Webcast:

Member Statements:

The Honorable Doug Lamborn
Subcommittee Chairman

Witnesses and Testimony:

Ms. Linda Lance
Deputy Director, Programs and Policy
Bureau of Land Management
U.S. Department of the Interior

Ms. Anne-Marie Fennell
Director, Natural Resources and Environment Team
U.S. Government Accountability Office

Background:

Helium is essential to our 21^st century economy.  It’s needed to manufacture computer chips and fiber optic cables, is used by hospitals for life-saving medical tests like an MRI, and is critical to national defense efforts.  The Helium Stewardship Act keeps the Federal Helium Reserve, which supplies 30 percent of the world’s helium and was statutorily slated to close in October of 2013, open until the remaining helium is sold. Bipartisan House and Senate Committee leadership have asked for the GAO to report on the Bureau of Land Management’s preparations for the July helium auctions scheduled in the law. These first ever public helium auctions will for the first time set a market based prices for helium from the federal reserve. This important public law protects our economy from severe supply disruptions, implements reforms to ensure greater return for taxpayers, and promotes the development of alternative domestic helium resources so our country is prepared when the Reserve does close. To learn more about H.R. 527, click here. 

Related Documents:

• Subcommittee Hearing Notice - July 7, 2014
• Subcommittee Hearing Witness List - July 15, 2014