Washington ? Kansas Rep. Nancy Boyda plans to have surgery next month to remove her gallbladder, her chief of staff, Shanan Guinn, said Tuesday.

Doctors recommended the surgery after Boyda became ill in her Capitol Hill office last week.

Boyda, a Democrat, was meeting with a group of firefighters from Lawrence, Kan., when she suddenly felt sick, Guinn said. Two of the firefighters who are emergency medical technicians helped Boyda to a couch. She then threw up into an office trash can.

The U.S. Capitol physician was called, and Boyda was taken to George Washington University Hospital. Doctors there discovered that she has gallstones. The treatment is for the gallbladder to be removed, Guinn said.

Guinn said the surgery would be performed at Stormont-Vail Regional Health Center in Topeka. Boyda is not expected to miss any votes because Congress has a two-week recess in April.