Bush nominates Utahn for ed post

WASHINGTON — It's another White House nomination for the Justesen family of Utah.

President Bush on Thursday nominated Emery County native Tracy R. Justesen to be the Education Department's assistant secretary for special education and rehabilitative services.

Justesen is now the department's deputy director of the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research. The Senate will need to confirm his nomination.

Waiting for a Senate confirmation process is not a new thing for the Justesens. Tracy's twin brother, Troy Justesen, is assistant secretary for the Office of Vocational and Adult Education. Bush nominated Troy Justesen for his position May 8, 2006, and the Senate confirmed him on July 26, 2006.

Tracy Justesen has worked at the Justice Department as an attorney-adviser in the Disability Rights Section, according to the White House. He previously worked in the White House as an associate director in the Domestic Policy Council.

He earned his bachelor's degree from Southern Utah University and his master's degree from Utah State University. He also has a law degree from Drake University and masters of law from George Washington University.