Crenshaw makes first appearance at hearing since eye surgery

Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas) on Thursday made his first public appearance since having eye surgery that effectively left him blind for a month earlier in April.

Crenshaw appeared at a House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing at which he said he was “doing well,” but confirmed that his vision had not yet returned.

“It’ll be a few more weeks until that hopefully happens. I’m doing well and look, you don’t have to feel bad for me,” Crenshaw said. “We raise our right hand then we ask to go to war and sometimes this is what happens. But I hope to be back to normal within a couple months.”

Crenshaw lost his right eye in a bomb attack in 2012 while serving in the Navy. In April, he announced his ophthalmologist had discovered the retina in his remaining eye was detaching due to lingering damage from the attack and that he had undergone surgery in an effort to save his vision.

“This is a terrifying prognosis for someone with one eye, and the nature of the injuries that I sustained in Afghanistan. Anyone who knows the history of my injuries knows that I don’t have a ‘good eye,’ but half a good eye,” Crenshaw said at the time.

He added the operation had gone well, but that he would effectively be blind for a month.

Crenshaw used his time at the hearing to ask Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan how he planned to use 8 percent of the EPA’s budget for “environmental justice” as he has proposed.

Regan explained the funds would go toward “overburdened” communities that have been disproportionately affected by pollution and climate change and could be used for things such as facilitating clean drinking water and phasing out lead pipes, which Crenshaw said was “fairly reasonable.”

However, Crenshaw noted that Regan’s definition of “environmental justice” differed from the definition in legislation such as the Clean Futures Act. Regan admitted that he was not familiar with the Clean Futures Act, which Crenshaw reacted to with incredulity.

It appeared as though Crenshaw was able to read some parts of the legislation he was referencing, though he later said he was unable to see how much time he had left in the hearing. 

Crenshaw later shared an update on his recovery, describing his vision as though he was looking through a “dive mask.”

“Imagine putting on a dive mask and of course blocking out one half of it. And then inject some kind of like bubbly, soapy solution through it so you’re looking through bubbles and then wipe the outer lens with some Vaseline for good measure. That’s sort of what I see,” Crenshaw said.

He added that his retina was doing well and staying in place, though he was still experiencing some pain. Crenshaw confirmed that he had returned to his official duties such as committee hearings.

“Even a blind knuckle-dragger can do committee hearing,” he added.