The US maintained a strategic helium reserve for decades (originally for airships). Then people started producing helium as a by-product of natural gas drilling

The US maintained a strategic helium reserve for decades (originally for airships). Then people started producing helium as a by-product of natural gas drilling, and the government bought helium from private natural gas producers. The helium reserve became less important, and larger, and deeper in debt. In the 90s, Congress ordered that the strategic helium reserve sell off most of its helium. That tanked the price, which meant it was affordable for party balloons. It also hurt the business of natural gas producers also producing helium. But helium can also leak irrecoverably out the atmosphere. We should try to hold on to some of it.