PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 477.
Congressional Research Service
Version 01 · Reported to Senate with amendment(s) · Jun 27, 1996
Helium Privatization Act of 1996 - Amends the Helium Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to: (1) enter into agreements with private parties for the recovery and disposal of helium on Federal lands; (2) grant leasehold rights to such helium; (3) store and transport crude helium; and (4) maintain and operate existing crude helium storage at the Bureau of Mines Cliffside Field. Directs the Secretary to: (1) cease producing, refining, and marketing refined helium; and (2) dispose of all facilities, equipment, and Federal property interests relating to refined helium activities. Requires the Secretary to impose fees for helium storage, withdrawal, or transportation services. Prescribes guidelines for: (1) the purchase of helium by Federal agencies from certain private persons; and (2) the sale of crude helium by the Secretary. Requires the Secretary to make crude helium sales in amounts that will cause minimum market disruption. Mandates that proceeds from helium sales be paid to the Treasury. (Sec. 5) Instructs the Secretary to eliminate helium stockpiles by a prescribed deadline. Repeals the Secretary's authority to borrow under the Helium Act. (Sec. 7) Directs the Secretary of the Interior to convey to the Texas Plains Girl Scout Council for consideration of one dollar specified lands in Potter County, Texas, reserving easements to the United States for pipeline rights-of-way. (Sec. 8) Directs the Secretary to: (1) enter into arrangements with the National Academy of Sciences to study and report to the Congress on whether disposal of helium reserves (including crude helium reserves) will have a substantial adverse effect upon U.S. scientific, technical, biomedical, or national security interests; (2) determine whether disposal of the helium reserve will have a substantial adverse effect on the U.S. helium industry, the U.S. helium market or such interests; and (3) if the Secretary determines that selling the crude helium reserves will have a substantial adverse effect on the industry, market, or such interests, make recommendations to the Congress, including proposed legislation, necessary to avoid such effects.
People & committees
Rep. Cox, Christopher [R-CA-47] · R–CA
Legislative record
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Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 477.
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported to Senate by Senator Murkowski with an amendment. With written report No. 104-302.
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported to Senate by Senator Murkowski with an amendment. With written report No. 104-302.
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources requested executive comment from Department of the Interior, and Office of Management and Budget.
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment favorably.
Referred to Subcommittee on Forests and Public Lands.
Received in the Senate and read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays (2/3 required): 411 - 10 (Roll No. 137).
House roll call 137 · Individual votesPassed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays (2/3 required): 411 - 10 (Roll No. 137).
House roll call 137 · Individual votesConsidered as unfinished business.
At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 5, rule I, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate.
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H4138-4151, H4161-4162)
Mr. Allard moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
Executive Comment Requested from Interior.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources.
Referred to the House Committee on Resources.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Sep 8, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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