Senate Approves Measure to Avoid ‘Helium Cliff’

The Senate on Thursday easily passed a measure that would prevent a shutdown of the U.S. helium reserve program in early October. Helium – best known as the gas used to fill party balloons – is a critical product in the aerospace and defense industries and also used in the manufacture of smart phones and medical equipment, among other things. Under current law the Federal Helium Program was scheduled to end on October 7, barring reauthorization by Congress.

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