The Act of Congress authorized the condemnation, lease, or purchase of acquired lands bearing the potential of producing helium gas.

It banned the export of helium, for which the US was the only important source, thus forcing foreign airships to use hydrogen lift gas.

[1] The Act empowered the United States Department of the Interior and United States Bureau of Mines with the jurisdiction for the experimentation, production, repurification, and research of the lighter than air gas.

The Title 50 codified law provided the authority for the creation of the National Helium Reserve.

The 104th United States Congress introduced four introductory bills in pursuit of privatizing the federal helium production and refining efforts of the United States.