AMONG THOSE in Congress to hear Mr Ahern's address were his two Cabinet colleagues. Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern and Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey.
The former taoiseach and EU ambassador to the US, John Bruton, was also present.
Mr Ahern's constituency colleague Cyprian Brady was there as was the leader of the Seanad, Donie Cassidy.
The Taoiseach's programme manager, Gerry Hickey, his special adviser and speech writer, Brian Murphy, his special adviser on the North, Mandy Johnson, and his personal assistant, Olive Melvin, were in the audience.
A number of the Taoiseach's friends from Drumcondra, including Des Richardson, Chris Wall and David McKenna were there , as was the developer Sean Dunne and his wife Gayle Killilea.
The Irish Ambassador to Washington, Michael Collins, and the secretary general of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Dermot Gallagher, were among Irish officials present.
Former attorneys general Rory Brady and David Byrne and the Irish American governor of Maryland, Martin O'Malley, were also guests.