US legislators voted on 26 April to continue selling federal helium gas reserves. The move follows warnings of a looming shortage in the supply of the gas that researchers and electronics manufacturers use for cooling. The United States was due to stop trading helium reserves in October, once it had paid off debts of $1.3 billion with revenues from the gases' sale. However, the House of Representatives agreed to extend helium sales until all but 85 million cubic metres of the stockpile remain. The Senate is expected to consider a similar proposal on 7 May.
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