Story highlights Chaffetz leads the House Oversight Committee

He said he will not run for re-election

Washington (CNN) Rep. Jason Chaffetz, who announced last week he would not seek re-election in 2018, said Wednesday he would miss three to four weeks of work due to foot surgery.

He made the announcement on Instagram, saying the surgery was to remove hardware that had been inserted into his foot after an accident 12 years ago.

"My recovery is expected to take three to four weeks," the Utah Republican said. "I'm sorry to miss the important work we are doing in Washington. This is not an opportune time to be away but medical emergencies are never convenient. I appreciate my constituents' patience and understanding as I take time to recover."

Although he announced he would not seek re-election, Chaffetz continues to serve and is the head of the House Oversight Committee.