US Code

Public Law 119-83 (04/13/2026)

50 U.S.C. § 167

Definitions

In this chapter:
(1)

Cliffside Field

The term “Cliffside Field” means the helium storage reservoir in which the Federal Helium Reserve is stored.

(2)

Federal Helium Pipeline

The term “Federal Helium Pipeline” means the federally owned pipeline system through which helium for the Federal Helium Reserve may be transported.

(3)

Federal Helium Reserve

The term “Federal Helium Reserve” means helium reserves owned by the United States.

(4)

Federal Helium System

The term “Federal Helium System” means—
(A)
the Federal Helium Reserve;
(B)
the Cliffside Field;
(C)
the Federal Helium Pipeline; and
(D)
all other infrastructure owned, leased, or managed under contract by the Secretary for the storage, transportation, withdrawal, enrichment, purification, or management of helium.
(5)

Federal user

The term “Federal user” means a Federal agency or extramural holder of one or more Federal research grants using helium.

(6)

Low-Btu gas

The term “low-Btu gas” means a fuel gas with a heating value of less than 250 Btu per standard cubic foot measured as the higher heating value resulting from the inclusion of noncombustible gases, including nitrogen, helium, argon, and carbon dioxide.

(7)

Person

The term “person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, firm, association, trust, estate, public or private institution, or State or political subdivision.

(8)

Priority pipeline access

The term “priority pipeline access” means the first priority of delivery of crude helium under which the Secretary schedules and ensures the delivery of crude helium to a helium refinery through the Federal Helium System.

(9)

Qualified bidder

(A)

In general

The term “qualified bidder” means a person the Secretary determines is seeking to purchase helium for their own use, refining, or redelivery to users.

(B)

Exclusion

The term “qualified bidder” does not include a person who was previously determined to be a qualified bidder if the Secretary determines that the person did not meet the requirements of a qualified bidder under this chapter.

(10)

Qualifying domestic helium transaction

The term “qualifying domestic helium transaction” means any agreement entered into or renegotiated agreement during the preceding 1-year period in the United States for the purchase or sale of at least 15,000,000 standard cubic feet of crude or pure helium to which any holder of a contract with the Secretary for the acceptance, storage, delivery, or redelivery of crude helium from the Federal Helium System is a party.

(11)

Refiner

The term “refiner” means a person with the ability to take delivery of crude helium from the Federal Helium Pipeline and refine the crude helium into pure helium.

(12)

Secretary

The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of the Interior.

Mar. 3, 1925, ch. 426, § 2 Pub. L. 86–777, § 274 Stat. 918 Pub. L. 113–40, § 2127 Stat. 534 (, as added , , ; amended , , .)

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

section 163 of this titlePub. L. 86–777A prior section 2 of act , authorized Bureau of Mines to produce helium gas and was classified to , prior to the general amendment of this chapter by .

Amendments

Pub. L. 113–402013— amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section defined “Secretary”, “person”, “helium-bearing natural gas”, and “helium-gas mixture”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1960 Amendment

Pub. L. 86–777, § 374 Stat. 923

“The amendment made by this Act [enacting this section and sections 167a to 167n of this title] shall become effective on .”
, , , provided that:

Short Title of 2013 Amendment

Pub. L. 113–40, § 1127 Stat. 534

“This Act [see Tables for classification] may be cited as the ‘Helium Stewardship Act of 2013’.”
, , , provided that:

Short Title of 1996 Amendment

Pub. L. 104–273, § 1110 Stat. 3315

“This Act [amending sections 167a to 167d, 167f, 167j, and 167m of this title] may be cited as the ‘Helium Privatization Act of 1996’.”
, , , provided that:

Short Title of 1960 Amendment

Pub. L. 86–777, § 174 Stat. 918

“This Act [enacting this section, sections 167a to 167n of this title, and provisions set out as notes below] may be cited as the ‘Helium Act Amendments of 1960’.”
, , , provided that:

Short Title

Pub. L. 86–777, § 2

“This Act [enacting this section, sections 167a to 167n of this title, and provisions set out as a note below] may be cited as the ‘Helium Act’.”
Section 1 of act , as added by , provided that:

Regulations

Pub. L. 113–40, § 9127 Stat. 544

“The Secretary of the Interior shall promulgate such regulations as are necessary to carry out this Act [see Tables for classification] and the amendments made by this Act, including regulations necessary to prevent unfair acts and practices.”
, , , provided that:

Separability

Act Mar. 3, 1925, ch. 426, § 20 Pub. L. 86–777, § 274 Stat. 923 Pub. L. 113–40, § 6(2)127 Stat. 540

“If any provision of this Act [enacting this section, sections 167a to 167n of this title, and provisions set out as a note above], or the application of such provision to any person or circumstance, is held invalid, the remainder of this Act or the application of such provision to persons or circumstances other than those as to which it is held invalid, shall not be affected thereby.”
, formerly § 17, as added , , , renumbered § 20, , , , provided that:

Existing Agreements

Pub. L. 113–40, § 8127 Stat. 544

“(a)

In General .—

This Act [see Tables for classification] and the amendments made by this Act shall not affect or diminish the rights and obligations of the Secretary of the Interior and private parties under agreements in existence on the date of enactment of this Act [], except to the extent that the agreements are renewed or extended after that date.
“(b)

Delivery .—

50 U.S.C. 167d50 U.S.C. 167c(e)(2)No agreement described in subsection (a) shall affect or diminish the right of any party that purchases helium after the date of enactment of this Act in accordance with section 6 of the Helium Act () (as amended by section 5) to receive delivery of the helium in accordance with section 5(e)(2) of the Helium Act () (as amended by section 4).”
, , , provided that:

Severance Package for Helium Operations Employees

Pub. L. 106–113, div. B, § 1000(a)(3) [title I, § 112]113 Stat. 1535

“(a)
5 U.S.C. 55955 U.S.C. 5595(i)(2) Employees of Helium Operations, Bureau of Land Management, entitled to severance pay under , may apply for, and the Secretary of the Interior may pay, the total amount of the severance pay to the employee in a lump sum. Employees paid severance pay in a lump sum and subsequently reemployed by the Federal Government shall be subject to the repayment provisions of and (3), except that any repayment shall be made to the Helium Fund.
“(b)
5 U.S.C. 8905a(d)(1)(A) Helium Operations employees who elect to continue health benefits after separation shall be liable for not more than the required employee contribution under . The Helium Fund shall pay for 18 months the remaining portion of required contributions.
“(c)
Pub. L. 103–33710 U.S.C. 1597 The Secretary of the Interior may provide for training to assist Helium Operations employees in the transition to other Federal or private sector jobs during the facility shut-down and disposition process and for up to 12 months following separation from Federal employment, including retraining and relocation incentives on the same terms and conditions as authorized for employees of the Department of Defense in section 348 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1995 [, note].
“(d)
5 U.S.C. 6304(d)(1)(B)5 U.S.C. 63045 U.S.C. 6304(d)(2) For purposes of the annual leave restoration provisions of , the cessation of helium production and sales, and other related Helium Program activities shall be deemed to create an exigency of public business under, and annual leave that is lost during leave years 1997 through 2001 because of (regardless of whether such leave was scheduled in advance) shall be restored to the employee and shall be credited and available in accordance with . Annual leave so restored and remaining unused upon the transfer of a Helium Program employee to a position of the executive branch outside of the Helium Program shall be liquidated by payment to the employee of a lump sum from the Helium Fund for such leave.
“(e)
section 167b(c)(4) of this title Benefits under this section shall be paid from the Helium Fund in accordance with section 4(c)(4) of the Helium Privatization Act of 1996 [probably means the Helium Act, which is classified to ]. Funds may be made available to Helium Program employees who are or will be separated before because of the cessation of helium production and sales and other related activities. Retraining benefits, including retraining and relocation incentives, may be paid for retraining commencing on or before .
“(f)
This section shall remain in effect through fiscal year 2002.”
, , , 1501A–157, provided that:

Similar provisions were contained in the following prior appropriation acts:

Pub. L. 105–277, div. A, § 101(e) [title I, § 112]112 Stat. 2681–231 , , , 2681–254.

Pub. L. 105–83, title I, § 113111 Stat. 1562 , , .