WASHINGTON – Sure, Congress has plenty of crises to deal with: a weak economy, an expiring highway bill, the end-of-the-year "taxmageddon." But now there's another one floating into view.
The United States is running out of helium.
Yes, helium. Because of a 1996 law that has forced the government to sell off its helium reserves at bargain-bin prices, the country's stockpile of the relatively rare and nonrenewable gas could soon vanish.
Party supply stores are already feeling the pinch, as helium shortfalls are driving up the price of balloons. But it's not birthday parties we should worry about. A severe helium shortage, experts say, would cause problems for large swaths of the economy, from medical scanners to welding to the manufacturing of optical fibers and LCD screens.
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