The House Energy and Commerce subcommittee on telecommunications were concerned about, among other things, the idea of virtual worlds becoming the next breeding ground for terrorist recruitment. According to Reuters, Rosedale had a response to that: "We have never seen any evidence that there is any such activity going on."

California democrat Rep. Jane Harman was quoted as calling online worlds "glorious technology" as she expressed a desire not to see it abused; Rosedale stressed self-policing and cooperation with law enforcement as preventative measures to feared abuses. He also said he feels that keeping law and order in the virtual world is "somewhat more maintainable" than it is in reality.

It wasn't all dignified, of course. Jokes about Congress already being a "virtual world" proliferated, while TechSoup founder Susan Tenby quite sincerely defended virtual worlds' potential as a home for positive advocacy groups and learning -- before introducing the representatives to her alter-ego, Glitteratica Cookie, a pink cat who lives in Second Life, as recounted by the Mercury News, and the House was also visited by "Ward Heeler," "Pica Paperdoll," "Socrates" and other avatars.

IBM's Colin Parris was also in attendance to discuss virtual worlds' numerous business applications, while all of the attendees sought to reassure Congress' concerns about child safety, privacy and other commonly controversial issues.

At the Washington Post, Mike Musgrove described this go-round between avatars and politicians as "a bit less chaotic" than when aimlessly floating Second Life avatars disrupted a visit by former Virginia governor Mark Warner.