U.S. Representative Steve King passed a bill in the House to help a medical situation for an Iowan.

King says Jaci Hermstad of Spencer was recently diagnosed with ALS, the same disease that took her twin sister’s life in 2011. Since her sister’s death, King says part of her brain tissue was donated to find a cure. A preliminary test was developed, matching Hermstad DNA with her sister’s. When Hermstad approached King about her situation, he immediately got involved. King says this past May, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration told him that the test could be available by September or October. King wanted to fast track that timeline and so he introduced a bill in the House.

“The bill is just for Jaci that would get the FDA out of the way and it would allow her to have her treatment as quickly as the medical practitioners could provide it. And we were ready to bring that bill to the floor of the House with the support and cooperation of Speaker (Nancy) Pelosi, who was terrific on this issue.”

King says he was pleased with the outcome he was able to provide for Jaci and being able to bridge the gap in the House.

“I think the important thing is that when we disagree on broad philosophical issues go ahead and disagree, but do so respectively. And try to dial down the acrimony that just keeps boiling over in this country. And that leaves us with the kind of tone that we can work on the things that we agree on.”

King adds that Jaci has had a few treatments with good outcomes, but he doesn’t know if it will result in a cure.