An at-a-glance guide to what was discussed in DC last week:

* Tax was the topic dominating the majority of the talks with Senators and House of Representative members. The delegation sought assurances that the Island — home to numerous insurance and reinsurance companies — would not suffer from new draft legislation aimed at cracking down on offshore tax havens. Influential Congressman Charles Rangel, chairman of the powerful Ways and Means committee, told them they had nothing to worry about.

* Education was the main topic with Republican Senator Susan Collins, herself a key reformist in that area. She wanted to know all about Government plans to improve standards in the failing public education system and praised Premier Ewart Brown for tackling the issue head-on with the recent Hopkins Report.

* Hotel development was talked about in most of the dozen meetings held in Washington. The Premier stressed to many of those he met how vital it was for the Island to have new hotels if it was to become a number one tourist destination. He told politicians he'd love them to visit Bermuda — but that right now they might struggle to get a room.

* Dr. Brown dropped in on Mississippi Congressman Bennie Thompson to thank him for helping with a US Customs issue raised on a previous trip to DC in March. The chairman of the Homeland Security Committee has helped to ensure that US Customs officials will now stay later at LF Wade International Airport for an evening flight to Baltimore, meaning passengers can clear customs on the Island, rather than in the States.

* The Premier told Congressman James Clyburn about his air services development strategy aimed at increasing the number of flights from the US to the Island. Charleston is likely to be targeted next, an idea which South Caroline Congressman Clyburn, a member of the Democratic leadership, apparently liked. US Consul General Gregory Slayton is working on creating a city partnership between Hamilton and Charleston and a biannual sailing race between the two already takes place.

* Republican presidential hopeful Sam Brownback congratulated the delegation on the resurgence of tourism in Bermuda. Tourism Minister Dr. Brown said: "It's hard to escape our commercials in Washington because this is one of our target areas. Wherever we have a direct flight, we advertise." New York Congressman Eliot Engel was told that the Big Apple now sends the most American tourists the Island's way.

* The so-called stop list banning Bermudians with criminal convictions from entering the States came up with Sen. Collins. The former chairman of Homeland Security was thanked for assisting with one of the aims of last year's Government trip to DC: getting the time reduced for those on the stop list who apply for a waiver of ineligibility to travel to the US.

* The prospect of having a US Coastguard base on Bermuda — first raised during the 2006 trip — was discussed with Congressman Engel, chairman of the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere. The Premier's press secretary Glenn Jones said: "I think it's still on the go but it wasn't moved forward on this specific visit."