Protecting Public Safety and Sacred Sites from the Utah Prairie Dog Act of 2011

Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.

H.R.2973 through Congress

H.R.2973 keeps its number as it moves between the House and Senate.

HouseSep 20, 2011IntroducedOfficial record

Major milestones in the imported record. See all actions.

No Senate action is available in our imported record yet.

Separate related Senate measures (1)

These are different measures identified as related by Congress.gov. Their text and outcomes may differ; they are not the Senate stage of H.R.2973.

Related Senate bill: S.1580 Protecting Public Safety and Sacred Sites from the Utah Prairie Dog Act of 2011

Congressional Research Service

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in House · Sep 20, 2011

Protecting Public Safety and Sacred Sites from the Utah Prairie Dog Act of 2011 - Requires the Secretary of the Interior to amend the special rule concerning takings of the Utah prarie dog to permit the taking of such prairie dog under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 in any airport or cemetery in such prairie dog's range in which a state demonstrates that: (1) the prairie dog's entry or existence causes a threat to public health and safety or to the sanctity of a burial site, and (2) all practicable measures to eliminate that threat have been carried out without success.

Defines "practicable measures" as: (1) the construction of fences around such areas, and (2) translocation of the prairie dogs by methods used by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service or the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.

Read the summary on Congress.gov

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People & committees

Who introduced it

Rep. Matheson, Jim [D-UT-2] · D–UT

Committees

Natural Resources Committee

2 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Legislative record

Actions

A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.

Sep 20, 2011
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
Sep 20, 2011
Introduced in House
Sep 20, 2011
Introduced in House

Primary sources

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Introduced in House · Sep 20, 2011 Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

S 1580 · Protecting Public Safety and Sacred Sites from the Utah Prairie Dog Act of 2011

Source last updated: Aug 14, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

AI Conversation Starters

Explore the bill from different angles

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Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze H.R.2973 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.R.2973, 112th Congress: Protecting Public Safety and Sacred Sites from the Utah Prairie Dog Act of 2011

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/house-bill/2973

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2011-09-20.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/112/bills/hr2973/BILLS-112hr2973ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-08-14T14:19:41Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Analyze H.R.2973 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine H.R.2973 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.R.2973, 112th Congress: Protecting Public Safety and Sacred Sites from the Utah Prairie Dog Act of 2011

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/house-bill/2973

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2011-09-20.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/112/bills/hr2973/BILLS-112hr2973ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-08-14T14:19:41Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.R.2973 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine H.R.2973 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.R.2973, 112th Congress: Protecting Public Safety and Sacred Sites from the Utah Prairie Dog Act of 2011

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/house-bill/2973

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2011-09-20.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/112/bills/hr2973/BILLS-112hr2973ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-08-14T14:19:41Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.R.2973 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine H.R.2973 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.R.2973, 112th Congress: Protecting Public Safety and Sacred Sites from the Utah Prairie Dog Act of 2011

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/house-bill/2973

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2011-09-20.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/112/bills/hr2973/BILLS-112hr2973ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-08-14T14:19:41Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.R.2973 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.