a report describing the results of the assessments re-
quired under this paragraph. 
‘‘(b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$1,000,000. 
‘‘SEC. 17. LOW-BTU GAS SEPARATION AND HELIUM CON-
SERVATION. 
‘‘(a) AUTHORIZATION.—The Secretary of Energy shall 
support programs of research, development, commercial ap-
plication, and conservation (including the programs de-
scribed in subsection (b))— 
‘‘(1) to expand the domestic production of low- 
Btu gas and helium resources; 
‘‘(2) to separate and capture helium from nat-
ural gas streams; and 
‘‘(3) to reduce the venting of helium and helium- 
bearing low-Btu gas during natural gas exploration 
and production. 
‘‘(b) PROGRAMS.— 
‘‘(1) MEMBRANE TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH.—The 
Secretary of Energy, in consultation with other ap-
propriate agencies, shall support a civilian research 
program to develop advanced membrane technology 
that is used in the separation of low-Btu gases, in-
cluding technologies that remove helium and other
constituent gases that lower the Btu content of nat-
ural gas. 
‘‘(2) HELIUM
SEPARATION
TECHNOLOGY.—The 
Secretary of Energy shall support a research program 
to develop technologies for separating, gathering, and 
processing helium in low concentrations that occur 
naturally in geological reservoirs or formations, in-
cluding— 
‘‘(A) low-Btu gas production streams; and 
‘‘(B) technologies that minimize the atmos-
pheric venting of helium gas during natural gas 
production. 
‘‘(3) INDUSTRIAL HELIUM PROGRAM.—The Sec-
retary of Energy, working through the Advanced 
Manufacturing Office of the Department of Energy, 
shall carry out a research program— 
‘‘(A) to develop low-cost technologies and 
technology systems for recycling, reprocessing, 
and reusing helium for all medical, scientific, in-
dustrial, commercial, aerospace, and other uses 
of helium in the United States, including Fed-
eral uses; and 
‘‘(B) to develop industrial gathering tech-
nologies to capture helium from other chemical 
processing, including ammonia processing.
‘‘(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$3,000,000. 
‘‘SEC. 18. HELIUM-3 SEPARATION. 
‘‘(a) INTERAGENCY
COOPERATION.—The Secretary 
shall cooperate with the Secretary of Energy, or a designee, 
on any assessment or research relating to the extraction and 
refining of the isotope helium-3 from crude helium and 
other potential sources, including— 
‘‘(1) gas analysis; and 
‘‘(2) infrastructure studies. 
‘‘(b) FEASIBILITY STUDY.—The Secretary, in consulta-
tion with the Secretary of Energy, or a designee, may carry 
out a study to assess the feasibility of— 
‘‘(1) establishing a facility to separate the iso-
tope helium-3 from crude helium; and 
‘‘(2) exploring other potential sources of the iso-
tope helium-3. 
‘‘(c) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of the Helium Stewardship Act of 2013, the 
Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Energy and 
Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Nat-
ural Resources of the House of Representatives a report that 
contains a description of the results of the assessments con-
ducted under this section.
‘‘(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$1,000,000. 
‘‘SEC. 19. FEDERAL AGENCY HELIUM ACQUISITION STRAT-
EGY. 
‘‘In anticipation of the implementation of Phase D de-
scribed in section 6(d), and not later than 2 years after 
the date of enactment of the Helium Stewardship Act of 
2013, the Secretary (in consultation with the Secretary of 
Energy, the Secretary of Defense, the Director of the Na-
tional Science Foundation, the Administrator of the Na-
tional Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Director 
of the National Institutes of Health, and other agencies as 
appropriate) shall submit to Congress a report that pro-
vides for Federal users— 
‘‘(1) an assessment of the consumption of, and 
projected demand for, crude and refined helium; 
‘‘(2) a description of a 20-year Federal strategy 
for securing access to helium; 
‘‘(3) a determination of a date prior to Sep-
tember 30, 2021, for the implementation of Phase D 
as described in section 6(d) that minimizes any po-
tential supply disruptions for Federal users;
‘‘(4) an assessment of the effects of increases in 
the price of refined helium and methods and policies 
for mitigating any determined effects; and 
‘‘(5) a description of a process for prioritization 
of uses that accounts for diminished availability of 
helium supplies that may occur over time.’’. 
SEC. 7. CONFORMING AMENDMENTS. 
(a) Section 4 of the Helium Act (50 U.S.C. 167b) is 
amended by striking ‘‘section 6(f)’’ each place it appears 
in subsections (c)(3), (c)(4), and (d)(2) and inserting ‘‘sec-
tion 6(e)’’. 
(b) Section 8 of the Helium Act (50 U.S.C. 167f) is 
repealed. 
SEC. 8. EXISTING AGREEMENTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—This Act and the amendments 
made by this Act shall not affect or diminish the rights and 
obligations of the Secretary of the Interior and private par-
ties under agreements in existence on the date of enactment 
of this Act, except to the extent that the agreements are re-
newed or extended after that date. 
(b) DELIVERY.—No agreement described in subsection 
(a) shall affect or diminish the right of any party that pur-
chases helium after the date of enactment of this Act in ac-
cordance with section 6 of the Helium Act (50 U.S.C. 167d) 
(as amended by section 5) to receive delivery of the helium
in accordance with section 5(e)(2) of the Helium Act (50 
U.S.C. 167c(e)(2)) (as amended by section 4). 
SEC. 9. REGULATIONS. 
The Secretary of the Interior shall promulgate such 
regulations as are necessary to carry out this Act and the 
amendments made by this Act, including regulations nec-
essary to prevent unfair acts and practices. 
SEC. 10. AMENDMENTS TO OTHER LAWS. 
(a) SECURE RURAL SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY SELF 
DETERMINATION PROGRAM.— 
(1) SECURE PAYMENTS FOR STATES AND COUN-
TIES CONTAINING FEDERAL LAND.— 
(A) AVAILABILITY OF PAYMENTS.—Section 
101 of the Secure Rural Schools and Community 
Self-Determination Act of 2000 (16 U.S.C. 7111) 
is amended by striking ‘‘2012’’ each place it ap-
pears and inserting ‘‘2013’’. 
(B) ELECTIONS.—Section 102(b) of the Se-
cure Rural Schools and Community Self-Deter-
mination Act of 2000 (16 U.S.C. 7112(b)) is 
amended— 
(i) in paragraph (1)(A), by striking 
‘‘2012’’ and inserting ‘‘2013’’; and