"2013 saw the passage of the Helium Stewardship Act, which allowed the National Helium Reserve to continue operations until 2021, and to sell its helium at auction -- creating prices closer to market rate. But not before selling off a large chunk of the Reserve for peanuts."
We have a strategic petroleum reserve that most Congress and America would go berserk over if we attempted to close, but helium, something far more valuable, is filling our party favors.