"We believe in the power of relationships to make a better world for everyone," AIG said in an invitation obtained by POLITICO.

The packed reception had waiters offering trays of snacks, an open bar serving a signature "Centennial Smash" cocktail and an a cappella group that closed with the Pharrell Williams hit "Happy."

More importantly, it had bipartisan support, with senior House members from both parties in attendance alongside finance industry lobbyists. The lawmakers and executives who spoke at the event made no mention of the company’s controversial bailout and instead focused on things like retirement savings legislation, which is a high priority for Neal and the insurance industry.

The celebration is the latest sign that memories of the 2008 market meltdown have faded in Washington. A display at the event outlining milestones in the company's history jumped from 1999 to 2015 — omitting the financial crisis and taxpayer-backed rescue.

AIG was the focus of widespread public outrage over the massive bailout the company got to stay afloat after it was nearly brought down by risky derivatives trades. At the time, lawmakers demanded that AIG employees renounce their bonuses.

"AIG will live forever in history as the poster child for greed, recklessness and incompetent if not delusional management," said Dennis Kelleher, who advocates for stricter Wall Street regulation as president and CEO of the group Better Markets.

But things have returned to normal for the storied insurer in recent years, as the company shrank itself and paid back the bailout funds. AIG has ramped up lobbying and restarted spending by its political action committee.

In 2017, AIG was successful in convincing federal regulators to undo the company's designation as a "systemically important financial institution" — a label imposed on the insurer after the Wall Street meltdown that carried with it stricter government oversight.

A senior lawmaker's joking reference to that "SIFI" designation was the only indirect nod of the night to the company's woes after the financial crisis.

"I look forward to continuing to work with you to reform our definition of a SIFI, a systemically important organization," Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.) said to the audience, after thanking the company for employing so many people in his district.

"Not that you're less important."

"Everybody wants to be acknowledged for their importance and no one wants to be identified as systemically important," he added, apparently jokingly.

Sherman serves on the House Financial Services Committee, which writes rules for the finance industry. Other Financial Services and Ways and Means members were also in attendance, including Reps. Bill Foster (D-Ill.), Steve Stivers (R-Ohio), Dan Kildee (D-Mich.) and Gwen Moore (D-Wis.).

It was not immediately clear how Neal's involvement came to be, other than a shared interest in his retirement savings legislation. Neal was introduced at the event by Rep. John Larson (D-Conn.). A former Larson aide is now an AIG lobbyist.

A House Ways and Means spokesperson directed POLITICO to Neal's personal congressional office, where a spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment. An AIG spokesperson declined to comment on how the event came together.

AIG has disclosed lobbying on retirement savings legislation under the Ways and Means Committee's jurisdiction. The company's PAC and employees have given more to Ways and Means Committee members in this election cycle than members of other committees, according to committee totals compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics.

"It comes as little surprise that these lawmakers would host a party for AIG, but it is deeply troubling that Congress would celebrate such a negligent and self-serving financial behemoth," said Craig Holman, government affairs lobbyist for the watchdog group Public Citizen.

Neal in his remarks touted his committee room as the "premier address on Capitol Hill" and said it was a "career opportunity" for members to serve on the powerful panel, which oversees the tax code.

"On this occasion of the centenary of this company, we're all happy to be part of this birthday celebration," he said.