Amid the din of headline-grabbing debates in Washington, DC, one looming threat has floated largely out of the public eye: the impending shortage of helium, a critical gas that is used for far more than just party balloons.

Without prompt congressional action, this helium shortage will harm many industrial and scientific users and undermine critical manufacturing, healthcare, and research operations across the country. Instead of the Fiscal Cliff, call it the Helium Cliff.

Helium is an essential component in the advanced manufacturing process for a number of products, including semiconductors — the chips that control all modern electronics. It also has critical applications for scientific research and numerous other products and technologies, including medical devices like MRI machines, chemicals, aerospace, and fiber optics.  Read More