[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 354 Engrossed in House (EH)]

H. Res. 354

                In the House of Representatives, U. S.,

                                                    September 25, 2013.
    Resolved, That upon the adoption of this resolution the House shall be 
considered to have taken from the Speaker's table the bill, H.R. 527, with the 
Senate amendment thereto, and to have concurred in the Senate amendment with the 
following amendment:



    In lieu of the matter proposed to be inserted by the amendment of the Senate 
to the text of the bill, insert the following:

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Helium Stewardship Act of 2013''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    Section 2 of the Helium Act (50 U.S.C. 167) is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    ``In this Act:
            ``(1) Cliffside field.--The term `Cliffside Field' means the helium 
        storage reservoir in which the Federal Helium Reserve is stored.
            ``(2) Federal helium pipeline.--The term `Federal Helium Pipeline' 
        means the federally owned pipeline system through which helium for the 
        Federal Helium Reserve may be transported.
            ``(3) Federal helium reserve.--The term `Federal Helium Reserve' 
        means helium reserves owned by the United States.
            ``(4) Federal helium system.--The term `Federal Helium System' 
        means--
                    ``(A) the Federal Helium Reserve;
                    ``(B) the Cliffside Field;
                    ``(C) the Federal Helium Pipeline; and
                    ``(D) all other infrastructure owned, leased, or managed 
                under contract by the Secretary for the storage, transportation, 
                withdrawal, enrichment, purification, or management of helium.
            ``(5) Federal user.--The term `Federal user' means a Federal agency 
        or extramural holder of one or more Federal research grants using 
        helium.
            ``(6) Low-btu gas.--The term `low-Btu gas' means a fuel gas with a 
        heating value of less than 250 Btu per standard cubic foot measured as 
        the higher heating value resulting from the inclusion of noncombustible 
        gases, including nitrogen, helium, argon, and carbon dioxide.
            ``(7) Person.--The term `person' means any individual, corporation, 
        partnership, firm, association, trust, estate, public or private 
        institution, or State or political subdivision.
            ``(8) Priority pipeline access.--The term `priority pipeline access' 
        means the first priority of delivery of crude helium under which the 
        Secretary schedules and ensures the delivery of crude helium to a helium 
        refinery through the Federal Helium System.
            ``(9) Qualified bidder.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The term `qualified bidder' means a 
                person the Secretary determines is seeking to purchase helium 
                for their own use, refining, or redelivery to users.
                    ``(B) Exclusion.--The term `qualified bidder' does not 
                include a person who was previously determined to be a qualified 
                bidder if the Secretary determines that the person did not meet 
                the requirements of a qualified bidder under this Act.
            ``(10) Qualifying domestic helium transaction.--The term `qualifying 
        domestic helium transaction' means any agreement entered into or 
        renegotiated agreement during the preceding 1-year period in the United 
        States for the purchase or sale of at least 15,000,000 standard cubic 
        feet of crude or pure helium to which any holder of a contract with the 
        Secretary for the acceptance, storage, delivery, or redelivery of crude 
        helium from the Federal Helium System is a party.
            ``(11) Refiner.--The term `refiner' means a person with the ability 
        to take delivery of crude helium from the Federal Helium Pipeline and 
        refine the crude helium into pure helium.
            ``(12) Secretary.--The term `Secretary' means the Secretary of the 
        Interior.''.

SEC. 3. AUTHORITY OF SECRETARY.

    Section 3 of the Helium Act (50 U.S.C. 167a) is amended by adding at the end 
the following:
    ``(c) Extraction of Helium From Deposits on Federal Land.--All amounts 
received by the Secretary from the sale or disposition of helium on Federal land 
shall be credited to the Helium Production Fund established under section 
6(e).''.

SEC. 4. STORAGE, WITHDRAWAL AND TRANSPORTATION.

    Section 5 of the Helium Act (50 U.S.C. 167c) is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 5. STORAGE, WITHDRAWAL AND TRANSPORTATION.

    ``(a) In General.--If the Secretary provides helium storage, withdrawal, or 
transportation services to any person, the Secretary shall impose a fee on the 
person that accurately reflects the economic value of those services.
    ``(b) Minimum Fees.--The fees charged under subsection (a) shall be not less 
than the amount required to reimburse the Secretary for the full costs of 
providing storage, withdrawal, or transportation services, including capital 
investments in upgrades and maintenance at the Federal Helium System.
    ``(c) Schedule of Fees.--Prior to sale or auction under subsection (a), (b), 
or (c) of section 6, the Secretary shall annually publish a standardized 
schedule of fees that the Secretary will charge under this section.
    ``(d) Treatment.--All fees received by the Secretary under this section 
shall be credited to the Helium Production Fund established under section 6(e).
    ``(e) Storage and Delivery.--In accordance with this section, the Secretary 
shall--
            ``(1) allow any person or qualified bidder to which crude helium is 
        sold or auctioned under section 6 to store helium in the Federal Helium 
        Reserve; and
            ``(2) establish a schedule for the transportation and delivery of 
        helium using the Federal Helium System that--
                    ``(A) ensures timely delivery of helium auctioned pursuant 
                to section 6(b)(2);
                    ``(B) ensures timely delivery of helium acquired from the 
                Secretary from the Federal Helium Reserve by means other than an 
                auction under section 6(b)(2), including nonallocated sales; and
                    ``(C) provides priority access to the Federal Helium 
                Pipeline for in-kind sales for Federal users.
    ``(f) New Pipeline Access.--The Secretary shall consider any applications 
for access to the Federal Helium Pipeline in a manner consistent with the 
schedule for phasing out commercial sales and disposition of assets pursuant to 
section 6.''.

SEC. 5. SALE OF CRUDE HELIUM.

    Section 6 of the Helium Act (50 U.S.C. 167d) is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 6. SALE OF CRUDE HELIUM.

    ``(a) Phase A: Allocation Transition.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall offer crude helium for sale 
        in such quantities, at such times, at not less than the minimum price 
        established under subsection (b)(7), and under such terms and conditions 
        as the Secretary determines necessary to carry out this subsection with 
        minimum market disruption.
            ``(2) Federal purchases.--Federal users may purchase refined helium 
        with priority pipeline access under this subsection from persons who 
        have entered into enforceable contracts to purchase an equivalent 
        quantity of crude helium at the in-kind price from the Secretary.
            ``(3) Duration.--This subsection applies during--
                    ``(A) the period beginning on the date of enactment of the 
                Helium Stewardship Act of 2013 and ending on September 30, 2014; 
                and
                    ``(B) any period during which the sale of helium under 
                subsection (b) is delayed or suspended.
    ``(b) Phase B: Auction Implementation.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall offer crude helium for sale 
        in quantities not subject to auction under paragraph (2), after 
        completion of each auction, at not less than the minimum price 
        established under paragraph (7), and under such terms and conditions as 
        the Secretary determines necessary--
                    ``(A) to maximize total recovery of helium from the Federal 
                Helium Reserve over the long term;
                    ``(B) to maximize the total financial return to the 
                taxpayer;
                    ``(C) to manage crude helium sales according to the ability 
                of the Secretary to extract and produce helium from the Federal 
                Helium Reserve;
                    ``(D) to give priority to meeting the helium demand of 
                Federal users in the event of any disruption to the Federal 
                Helium Reserve; and
                    ``(E) to carry out this subsection with minimum market 
                disruption.
            ``(2) Auction quantities.--For the period described in paragraph (4) 
        and consistent with the conditions described in paragraph (8), the 
        Secretary shall annually auction to any qualified bidder a quantity of 
        crude helium in the Federal Helium Reserve equal to--
                    ``(A) for fiscal year 2015, 10 percent of the total volume 
                of crude helium made available for that fiscal year;
                    ``(B) for each of fiscal years 2016 through 2019, a 
                percentage of the total volume of crude helium that is 15 
                percentage points greater than the percentage made available for 
                the previous fiscal year; and
                    ``(C) for fiscal year 2020 and each fiscal year thereafter, 
                100 percent of the total volume of crude helium made available 
                for that fiscal year.
            ``(3) Federal purchases.--Federal users may purchase refined helium 
        with priority pipeline access under this subsection from persons who 
        have entered into enforceable contracts to purchase an equivalent 
        quantity of crude helium at the in-kind price from the Secretary.
            ``(4) Duration.--This subsection applies during the period--
                    ``(A) beginning on October 1, 2014; and
                    ``(B) ending on the date on which the volume of recoverable 
                crude helium at the Federal Helium Reserve (other than privately 
                owned quantities of crude helium stored temporarily at the 
                Federal Helium Reserve under section 5 and this section) is 
                3,000,000,000 standard cubic feet.
            ``(5) Safety valve.--The Secretary may adjust the quantities 
        specified in paragraph (2)--
                    ``(A) downward, if the Secretary determines the adjustment 
                necessary--
                            ``(i) to minimize market disruptions that pose a 
                        threat to the economic well-being of the United States; 
                        and
                            ``(ii) only after submitting a written justification 
                        of the adjustment to the Committee on Energy and Natural 
                        Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Natural 
                        Resources of the House of Representatives; or
                    ``(B) upward, if the Secretary determines the adjustment 
                necessary to increase participation in crude helium auctions or 
                returns to the taxpayer.
            ``(6) Auction format.--The Secretary shall conduct each auction 
        using a method that maximizes revenue to the Federal Government.
            ``(7) Prices.--The Secretary shall annually establish, as 
        applicable, separate sale and minimum auction prices under subsection 
        (a)(1) and paragraphs (1) and (2) using, if applicable and in the 
        following order of priority:
                    ``(A) The sale price of crude helium in auctions held by the 
                Secretary under paragraph (2).
                    ``(B) Price recommendations and disaggregated data from a 
                qualified, independent third party who has no conflict of 
                interest, who shall conduct a confidential survey of qualifying 
                domestic helium transactions.
                    ``(C) The volume-weighted average price of all crude helium 
                and pure helium purchased, sold, or processed by persons in all 
                qualifying domestic helium transactions.
                    ``(D) The volume-weighted average cost of converting gaseous 
                crude helium into pure helium.
            ``(8) Terms and conditions.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall require all persons 
                that are parties to a contract with the Secretary for the 
                withdrawal, acceptance, storage, transportation, delivery, or 
                redelivery of crude helium to disclose, on a strictly 
                confidential basis--
                            ``(i) the volumes and associated prices in dollars 
                        per thousand cubic feet of all crude and pure helium 
                        purchased, sold, or processed by persons in qualifying 
                        domestic helium transactions;
                            ``(ii) the volumes and associated costs in dollars 
                        per thousand cubic feet of converting crude helium into 
                        pure helium; and
                            ``(iii) refinery capacity and future capacity 
                        estimates.
                    ``(B) Condition.--As a condition of sale or auction to a 
                refiner under subsection (a)(1) and paragraphs (1) and (2), 
                effective beginning 90 days after the date of enactment of the 
                Helium Stewardship Act of 2013, the refiner shall make excess 
                refining capacity of helium available at commercially reasonable 
                rates to--
                            ``(i) any person prevailing in auctions under 
                        paragraph (2); and
                            ``(ii) any person that has acquired crude helium 
                        from the Secretary from the Federal Helium Reserve by 
                        means other than an auction under paragraph (2) after 
                        the date of enactment of the Helium Stewardship Act of 
                        2013, including nonallocated sales.
            ``(9) Use of information.--The Secretary may use the information 
        collected under this Act--
                    ``(A) to approximate crude helium prices; and
                    ``(B) to ensure the recovery of fair value for the taxpayers 
                of the United States from sales of crude helium.
            ``(10) Protection of confidentiality.--The Secretary shall adopt 
        such administrative policies and procedures as the Secretary considers 
        necessary and reasonable to ensure the confidentiality of information 
        submitted pursuant to this Act.
            ``(11) Forward auctions.--Effective beginning in fiscal year 2016, 
        the Secretary may conduct a forward auction once each fiscal year of a 
        quantity of helium that is equal to up to 10 percent of the volume of 
        crude helium to be made available at auction during the following fiscal 
        year if the Secretary determines that the forward auction will--
                    ``(A) not cause a disruption in the supply of helium from 
                the Reserve;
                    ``(B) represent a cost-effective action;
                    ``(C) generate greater returns for taxpayers; and
                    ``(D) increase the effectiveness of price discovery.
            ``(12) Sale schedule and frequency.--For fiscal year 2015 the 
        Secretary shall conduct only one auction, which shall precede, and one 
        sale, which shall take place no later than August 1, 2014, with full and 
        final payment for the sale being made no later than September 26, 2014. 
        Consistent with the annual volumes established under paragraph (2), 
        effective beginning in fiscal year 2016, the Secretary may conduct 
        auctions twice during each fiscal year if the Secretary determines that 
        the auction frequency will--
                    ``(A) not cause a disruption in the supply of helium from 
                the Reserve;
                    ``(B) represent a cost-effective action;
                    ``(C) generate greater returns for taxpayers; and
                    ``(D) increase the effectiveness of price discovery.
            ``(13) One-time sale.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Notwithstanding paragraph (4)(A), the 
                Secretary shall hold a one-time sale of helium, no later than 
                August 1, 2014 from amounts available in fiscal year 2016 
                pursuant to this section. Full and final payment for the sale 
                must be made no later than 45 days after the date the sale takes 
                place.
                    ``(B) Volume sold.--The volume of helium sold under this 
                paragraph--
                            ``(i) shall be at least 250 million cubic feet; and
                            ``(ii) shall be made available for sale consistent 
                        with paragraph (2)(B).
    ``(c) Phase C: Continued Access for Federal Users.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall offer crude helium for sale 
        to Federal users in such quantities, at such times, at such prices 
        required to reimburse the Secretary for the full costs of the sales, and 
        under such terms and conditions as the Secretary determines necessary to 
        carry out this subsection.
            ``(2) Federal purchases.--Federal users may purchase refined helium 
        with priority pipeline access under this subsection from persons who 
        have entered into enforceable contracts to purchase an equivalent 
        quantity of crude helium at the in-kind price from the Secretary.
            ``(3) Effective date.--This subsection applies beginning on the day 
        after the date described in subsection (b)(4)(B).
    ``(d) Phase D: Disposal of Assets.--
            ``(1) In general.--Not earlier than 2 years after the date of 
        commencement of Phase C described in subsection (c) and not later than 
        September 30, 2021, the Secretary shall designate as excess property and 
        dispose of all facilities, equipment, and other real and personal 
        property, and all interests in the same, held by the United States in 
        the Federal Helium System.
            ``(2) Applicable law.--The disposal of the property described in 
        paragraph (1) shall be in accordance with subtitle I of title 40, United 
        States Code.
            ``(3) Proceeds.--All proceeds accruing to the United States by 
        reason of the sale or other disposal of the property described in 
        paragraph (1) shall be treated as funds received under this Act for 
        purposes of subsection (e).
            ``(4) Costs.--All costs associated with the sale and disposal 
        (including costs associated with termination of personnel) and with the 
        cessation of activities under this subsection shall be paid from amounts 
        available in the Helium Production Fund established under subsection 
        (e).
    ``(e) Helium Production Fund.--
            ``(1) In general.--All amounts received under this Act, including 
        amounts from the sale or auction of crude helium, shall be credited to 
        the Helium Production Fund, which shall be available without fiscal year 
        limitation for purposes determined to be necessary and cost effective by 
        the Secretary to carry out this Act (other than sections 16, 17, and 
        18), including capital investments in upgrades and maintenance at the 
        Federal Helium System, including--
                    ``(A) well head maintenance at the Cliffside Field;
                    ``(B) capital investments in maintenance and upgrades of 
                facilities that pressurize the Cliffside Field;
                    ``(C) capital investments in maintenance and upgrades of 
                equipment related to the storage, withdrawal, enrichment, 
                transportation, purification, and sale of crude helium from the 
                Federal Helium Reserve;
                    ``(D) entering into purchase, lease, or other agreements to 
                drill new or uncap existing wells to maximize the recovery of 
                crude helium from the Federal Helium System; and
                    ``(E) any other scheduled or unscheduled maintenance of the 
                Federal Helium System.
            ``(2) Excess funds.--Amounts in the Helium Production Fund in excess 
        of amounts the Secretary determines to be necessary to carry out 
        paragraph (1) shall be paid to the general fund of the Treasury and used 
        to reduce the annual Federal budget deficit.
            ``(3) Retirement of public debt.--Out of amounts paid to the general 
        fund of the Treasury under paragraph (2), the Secretary of the Treasury 
        shall use $51,000,000 to retire public debt.
            ``(4) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
        the Helium Stewardship Act of 2013 and annually thereafter, the 
        Secretary of the Interior shall submit to the Committee on Energy and 
        Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources 
        of the House of Representatives a report describing all expenditures by 
        the Bureau of Land Management to carry out this Act.
    ``(f) Minimum Quantity.--The Secretary shall offer for sale or auction 
during each fiscal year under subsections (a), (b), and (c) a quantity of crude 
helium that is the lesser of--
            ``(1) the quantity of crude helium offered for sale by the Secretary 
        during fiscal year 2012; or
            ``(2) the maximum total production capacity of the Federal Helium 
        System.''.

SEC. 6. INFORMATION, ASSESSMENT, RESEARCH, AND STRATEGY.

    The Helium Act (50 U.S.C. 167 et seq.) is amended--
            (1) by repealing section 15 (50 U.S.C. 167m);
            (2) by redesignating section 17 (50 U.S.C. 167 note) as section 20; 
        and
            (3) by inserting after section 14 (50 U.S.C. 167l) the following:

``SEC. 15. INFORMATION.

    ``(a) Transparency.--The Secretary, acting through the Bureau of Land 
Management, shall make available on the Internet information relating to the 
Federal Helium System that includes--
            ``(1) continued publication of an open market and in-kind price;
            ``(2) aggregated projections of excess refining capacity;
            ``(3) ownership of helium held in the Federal Helium Reserve;
            ``(4) the volume of helium delivered to persons through the Federal 
        Helium Pipeline;
            ``(5) pressure constraints of the Federal Helium Pipeline;
            ``(6) an estimate of the projected date when 3,000,000,000 standard 
        cubic feet of crude helium will remain in the Federal Helium Reserve and 
        the final phase described in section 6(c) will begin;
            ``(7) the amount of the fees charged under section 5;
            ``(8) the scheduling of crude helium deliveries through the Federal 
        Helium Pipeline; and
            ``(9) other factors that will increase transparency.
    ``(b) Reporting.--Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of the 
Helium Stewardship Act of 2013, to provide the market with appropriate and 
timely information affecting the helium resource, the Director of the Bureau of 
Land Management shall establish a timely and public reporting process to provide 
data that affects the helium industry, including--
            ``(1) annual maintenance schedules and quarterly updates, that shall 
        include--
                    ``(A) the date and duration of planned shutdowns of the 
                Federal Helium Pipeline;
                    ``(B) the nature of work to be undertaken on the Federal 
                Helium System, whether routine, extended, or extraordinary;
                    ``(C) the anticipated impact of the work on the helium 
                supply;
                    ``(D) the efforts being made to minimize any impact on the 
                supply chain; and
                    ``(E) any concerns regarding maintenance of the Federal 
                Helium Pipeline, including the pressure of the pipeline or 
                deviation from normal operation of the pipeline;
            ``(2) for each unplanned outage, a description of--
                    ``(A) the beginning of the outage;
                    ``(B) the expected duration of the outage;
                    ``(C) the nature of the problem;
                    ``(D) the estimated impact on helium supply;
                    ``(E) a plan to correct problems, including an estimate of 
                the potential timeframe for correction and the likelihood of 
                plan success within the timeframe;
                    ``(F) efforts to minimize negative impacts on the helium 
                supply chain; and
                    ``(G) updates on repair status and the anticipated online 
                date;
            ``(3) monthly summaries of meetings and communications between the 
        Bureau of Land Management and the Cliffside Refiners Limited 
        Partnership, including a list of participants and an indication of any 
        actions taken as a result of the meetings or communications; and
            ``(4) current predictions of the lifespan of the Federal Helium 
        System, including how much longer the crude helium supply will be 
        available based on current and forecasted demand and the projected 
        maximum production capacity of the Federal Helium System for the 
        following fiscal year.

``SEC. 16. HELIUM GAS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT.

    ``(a) In General.--Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of the 
Helium Stewardship Act of 2013, the Secretary, acting through the Director of 
the United States Geological Survey, shall--
            ``(1) in coordination with appropriate heads of State geological 
        surveys--
                    ``(A) complete a national helium gas assessment that 
                identifies and quantifies the quantity of helium, including the 
                isotope helium-3, in each reservoir, including assessments of 
                the constituent gases found in each helium resource, such as 
                carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and natural gas; and
                    ``(B) make available the modern seismic and geophysical log 
                data for characterization of the Bush Dome Reservoir;
            ``(2) in coordination with appropriate international agencies and 
        the global geology community, complete a global helium gas assessment 
        that identifies and quantifies the quantity of the helium, including the 
        isotope helium-3, in each reservoir;
            ``(3) in coordination with the Secretary of Energy, acting through 
        the Administrator of the Energy Information Administration, complete--
                    ``(A) an assessment of trends in global demand for helium, 
                including the isotope helium-3;
                    ``(B) a 10-year forecast of domestic demand for helium 
                across all sectors, including scientific and medical research, 
                commercial, manufacturing, space technologies, cryogenics, and 
                national defense; and
                    ``(C) an inventory of medical, scientific, industrial, 
                commercial, and other uses of helium in the United States, 
                including Federal uses, that identifies the nature of the helium 
                use, the amounts required, the technical and commercial 
                viability of helium recapture and recycling in that use, and the 
                availability of material substitutes wherever possible; and
            ``(4) submit to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the 
        Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of 
        Representatives a report describing the results of the assessments 
        required 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 CONSERVATION.

    ``(a) Authorization.--The Secretary of Energy shall support programs of 
research, development, commercial application, and conservation (including the 
programs described in subsection (b))--
            ``(1) to expand the domestic production of low-Btu gas and helium 
        resources;
            ``(2) to separate and capture helium from natural 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 appropriate agencies, shall support a civilian 
        research program to develop advanced membrane technology that is used in 
        the separation of low-Btu gases, including technologies that remove 
        helium and other constituent gases that lower the Btu content of natural 
        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, including--
                    ``(A) low-Btu gas production streams; and
                    ``(B) technologies that minimize the atmospheric venting of 
                helium gas during natural gas production.
            ``(3) Industrial helium program.--The Secretary 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, industrial, commercial, aerospace, and 
                other uses of helium in the United States, including Federal 
                uses; and
                    ``(B) to develop industrial gathering technologies 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 consultation 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 isotope helium-3 from 
        crude helium; and
            ``(2) exploring other potential sources of the isotope 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 Natural 
Resources of the House of Representatives a report that contains a description 
of the results of the assessments conducted 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 STRATEGY.

    ``In anticipation of the implementation of Phase D described 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 National Science 
Foundation, the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration, the Director of the National Institutes of Health, and other 
agencies as appropriate) shall submit to Congress a report that provides 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 September 30, 2021, for the 
        implementation of Phase D as described in section 6(d) that minimizes 
        any potential 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 ``section 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 parties under agreements in existence on the date of enactment of 
this Act, except to the extent that the agreements are renewed or extended after 
that date.
    (b) Delivery.--No agreement described in subsection (a) shall affect or 
diminish the right of any party that purchases helium after the date of 
enactment of this Act in accordance 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 necessary 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 counties 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 
                appears and inserting ``2013''.
                    (B) Elections.--Section 102(b) of the Secure Rural Schools 
                and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 (16 U.S.C. 7112(b)) 
                is amended--
                            (i) in paragraph (1)(A), by striking ``2012'' and 
                        inserting ``2013''; and
                            (ii) in paragraph (2)(B), by striking ``2012'' each 
                        place it appears and inserting ``2013''.
                    (C) Distribution of payments to eligible counties.--Section 
                103(d)(2) of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-
                Determination Act of 2000 (16 U.S.C. 7113(d)(2)) is amended by 
                striking ``and 2012'' and inserting ``through 2013''.
            (2) Continuation of authority to conduct special projects on federal 
        land.--Title II of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-
        Determination Act of 2000 is amended--
                    (A) in section 203(a)(1) (16 U.S.C. 7123(a)(1)), by striking 
                ``2012'' and inserting ``2013'';
                    (B) in section 204(e)(3)(B)(iii) (16 U.S.C. 
                7124(e)(3)(B)(iii)), by striking ``2012'' and inserting 
                ``2013'';
                    (C) in section 205(a)(4) (16 U.S.C. 7125(a)(4)), by striking 
                ``2011'' each place it appears and inserting ``2012'';
                    (D) in section 207(a) (16 U.S.C. 7127(a)), by striking 
                ``2012'' and inserting ``2013''; and
                    (E) in section 208 (16 U.S.C. 7128)--
                            (i) in subsection (a), by striking ``2012'' and 
                        inserting ``2013''; and
                            (ii) in subsection (b), by striking ``2013'' and 
                        inserting ``2014''.
            (3) Continuation of authority to reserve and use county funds.--
        Section 304 of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination 
        Act of 2000 (16 U.S.C. 7144) is amended--
                    (A) in subsection (a), by striking ``2012'' and inserting 
                ``2013''; and
                    (B) in subsection (b), by striking ``2013'' and inserting 
                ``2014''.
            (4) Authorization of appropriations.--Section 402 of the Secure 
        Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 (16 U.S.C. 
        7152) is amended by striking ``2012'' and inserting ``2013''.
    (b) Abandoned Well Remediation.--Section 349 of the Energy Policy Act of 
2005 (42 U.S.C. 15907) is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(i) Federally Drilled Wells.--Out of any amounts in the Treasury not 
otherwise appropriated, $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2014, $36,000,000 for fiscal 
year 2015, and $4,000,000 for fiscal year 2019 shall be made available to the 
Secretary, without further appropriation and to remain available until expended, 
to remediate, reclaim, and close abandoned oil and gas wells on current or 
former National Petroleum Reserve land.''.
    (c) National Parks Maintenance Backlog.--Section 814(g) of the Omnibus Parks 
and Public Lands Management Act of 1996 (16 U.S.C. 1f) is amended by adding at 
the end the following:
            ``(4) Available funds.--Out of any amounts in the Treasury not 
        otherwise appropriated, $20,000,000 shall be made available to the 
        Secretary of the Interior for fiscal year 2018, and $30,000,000 shall be 
        made available to the Secretary of the Interior for fiscal year 2019, 
        without further appropriation and to remain available until expended, to 
        pay the Federal funding share of challenge cost-share agreements for 
        deferred maintenance projects and to correct deficiencies in National 
        Park Service infrastructure.
            ``(5) Cost-share requirement.--Not less than 50 percent of the total 
        cost of project for funds made available under paragraph (4) to pay the 
        Federal funding share shall be derived from non-Federal sources, 
        including in-kind contribution of goods and services fairly valued.''.
    (d) Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund.--Section 411(h) of the Surface Mining 
Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (30 U.S.C. 1240a(h)) is amended by adding at 
the end the following:
            ``(6) Supplemental funding.--
                    ``(A) Waiver of limitation.--Notwithstanding paragraph (5), 
                the limitation on the total annual payments to a certified State 
                or Indian tribe under this subsection shall not apply for fiscal 
                years 2014 and 2015.
                    ``(B) Limitation on waiver.--Notwithstanding subparagraph 
                (A), the total annual payment to a certified State or Indian 
                tribe under this subsection for fiscal year 2014 shall not be 
                more than $28,000,000 and for fiscal year 2015 shall not be more 
                than $75,000,000.
                    ``(C) Insufficient amounts.--If the total annual payment to 
                a certified State or Indian tribe under paragraphs (1) and (2) 
                is limited by subparagraph (B), the Secretary shall--
                            ``(i) give priority to making payments under 
                        paragraph (2); and
                            ``(ii) use any remaining funds to make payments 
                        under paragraph (1).''.
    (e) Soda Ash Royalties.--Notwithstanding section 24 of the Mineral Leasing 
Act (30 U.S.C. 262) and the terms of any lease under that Act, the royalty rate 
on the quantity of gross value of the output of sodium compounds and related 
products at the point of shipment to market from Federal land in the 2-year 
period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act shall be 4 percent.
    (f) Authorization Offset.--Section 207(c) of the Energy Independence and 
Security Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17022(c)) is amended by inserting before the 
period at the end the following: ``, except that the amount authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section not appropriated as of the date of 
enactment of the Helium Stewardship Act of 2013 shall be reduced by 
$6,000,000''.
            Attest:

                                                                          Clerk.