I have to say that I wasn't aware that I was expected to make an opening comment. I can certainly improvise one, but it would be rather platitudinous, and I don't want to inflict that on the committee. Would it be a dereliction if we just did without an opening comment? Perhaps I could say something at the end.
It's something of a mystery to me exactly what I'm supposed to do, Mr. Chairman, but I'll do whatever you want.