House GOP leadership has an attendance problem right now, but they have some good news headed their way: Rep. Frank Lucas will be back in D.C. next week, just in time for a shutdown deadline.

Lucas (R-Okla.), who was injured while working at his ranch last month, had to undergo hip surgery to repair a break in the socket. But his doctor has cleared him to return to D.C. starting Sept. 26.

He will be back next Wednesday, his office first shared with POLITICO. Lucas is a generally reliable vote for GOP leadership.

Republicans have faced various absences due to health and family reasons, which has made it even more difficult to navigate their slim majority as they consider high-stakes legislation to fund the government. Those absences include Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) undergoing chemotherapy, the retirement of former Rep. Chris Stewart (R-Utah) and Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) giving birth to her first child.

It has added to leadership’s headaches on what used to be simple procedural votes. Speaker Kevin McCarthy has now failed, twice, to secure enough votes for a defense appropriations bill given several absences, a conservative rebellion and united Democratic opposition.

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